and other interesting and varied things. One that particularly fascinated me was the
simple set-up by Ken Adams demonstrating how efficient Sphagnum mosses are at ion
exchange; they remove metal ions and replace them with hydrogen ions, thus making
the water acidic. It happens very fast, as fast as pouring water through the moss. This
prevents the growth of bacteria in the water that would otherwise rot them alive.
Germaine Greer was a very special guest, particularly as she writes such nice things
about us from time to time in the Telegraph (and did so again, about this meeting, on 13th
Dec). Mary Bagley, Conservation Officer for Essex County Council was another
distinguished guest, with some colleagues. The food and wine all went too. This year it
will be on Saturday 4th December, so do put it in your diaries now and aim to bring
yourself and friends! Next year the venue will be in a slightly larger hall belonging to
the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in Melbourne Avenue, close to Chignal Road,
Chelmsford. There is plenty of parking space outside, or the number 54 bus from
Chelmsford bus station stops outside 3 times every hour. It is a free afternoon of excellent
information and conversation. Don't miss it!
We had the first snap of cold weather this winter from about 12th to 18th December, with
night time temperatures dropping down to -5°C in my suburban garden.
Also in mid December, the news about airport expansion was published, to be greeted
with muted delight by the airline and airport companies, and with great dismay by nearly
all environmental organisations. Stansted airport is set to have another runway within
about 7 years, requiring the demolition of about 100 homes and taking land mainly
eastwards of the present site ie towards Great Dunmow, where the population will
inevitably suffer much worse noise nuisance than they already do. The new runway is to
go north-south, so there will be even more noise and disturbance to wildlife in Hatfield
Forest. However, there are some positive sides for wildlife too, one of which is that the
large perimeter fence keeps out Muntjac Deer (and other large herbivorous mammals),
so that wild plants like Oxlips can grow and flower without their tops being eaten off.
They have Brown Hares too, which are not shot. I have been told that some of their land
is well managed for wild flowers and the associated small fauna. Personally, I think that
the overall disruption to humans and wildlife here is less than for either extra runways at
Heathrow or a new airport on the Thames marshes north of Cliffe (Kent). Do let me
know what you think!
By the 6th of January we had seen pollen being shed on Hazel catkins in a number of
different places, and the first bumblebee feeding on Mahonia flowers. Spring was early
again this year, and there have been reports that the changes in climate seem to be
accelerating. Indeed, and even more alarming, a group of scientists have predicted that
within the next 50 years huge numbers of species will become extinct across the planet,
with Europe suffering only about 10-15% species loss but sensitive and/or more species-
rich areas suffering up to 50% loss of species. Even the scientists doing the work were
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 44, May 2004 5