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Thorndon Country Park
I am going to dwell on this place as it is one of the largest
fairly natural places and the nearest to a wild asset we have in
Brentwood. You will see by the following pictures that there
are some truly beautiful features there. The problem as I see it
is that too many efforts have been made to stamp the hand of
man on it in the form of meddling with nature, and the addition
of so many placards, instructions and warnings that it begins
to resemble Disneyland. But the most dangerous aspect of
this management is the obsession with bringing people in. One
wonders if this is for pecuniary reasons. It probably is, the Essex
Wildlife Trust is listed as non-profit making. Money has to be
generated. But therein lies a conflict. As we know only too well,
masses of people and wildlife just don't go together.
I do know this park reasonably well and am aware of the car
park refurbishment which went ahead and destroyed clumps of
mature trees which had been there before. The park is very well
used at peak times but with a bit of forethought maybe those
trees could have been retained and perhaps some saplings