[Fleecewife]

Inchconnachan is an island on Loch Lomond, uninhabited by humans but home to about 60 wallabies and ancient forest trees. It has been owned by the same family since the 1400s but was recently sold to Kirsty Young and her man. People wild camp on Inchconnachan but are usually respectful of such a beautiful place, reaching the island by boat.
Now the new owners have announced plans to 'rehome' the wallabies, build a lodge to house tourists, in the process chopping down some of the ancient trees, cut paths and lay walkways through what is a delicate ecosystem. We used to camp on the island occasionally 40 odd years ago with our family and have always respected its wildness and special place in the hearts of those who love Loch Lomond.
What a shame if it's all ruined by some celebrities with misguided ideas.

[arobwk]

The way of the world UNFORTUNATELY: 

"What can we do to make easy money" ... "As discussed, tourism Kirsty!" ... "Yeah, I know, but there are those weird giant rats bouncing about for all to see - bouncy rats won't go down well - and those bloody trees are wind-swept, look half-dead and could obscure the view from some new crofty-lets.  Both will need to go." ... "I believe they are wallabies and those gnarled trees are actually yonks old so REALLY ?!" ... "Yeah OK, but we now own this crappy island - it's not likely to be drowned by sea-level rises in my life-time so it's surely a pretty safe bet for development rather than that wee sandy island you liked in the Caribbean with those tortoises crawling all over the beach - they almost put me off my 6 o/c "Green Turtle" cocktail at the beach shanty bar.  Did you get that cocktail recipe by the way ? "

[Fleecewife]

 
Oh you've really cheered me up [member=152775]arobwk[/member]
You're like the Johnny Morris of the celebrity world.
I've just been mini-trolled on facebook (I hate facebook) so I needed that laugh 


In fact there's a big petition in the making, especially as there is apparently an osprey nesting in one of those trees and we take our ospreys very seriously.  Loch Lomond is so important to Scots, especially those who live in Glasgow.  It's within cycling distance and has long been a place people go to get some air and greenery plus a bit of a paddle about. Inchconnachan has always been THE island you can camp on, so people tend to clear up behind themselves to keep it special, whereas the shores can become quite clarty, and the other islands are not so campable. The wallabies are not just like say a group of deer, they are amazing! So improbable. While of course they could be rehomed, that just wouldn't be the same - wallabies are specific to Loch Lomond and Inchconnachan.
I'm hopeful the various interests in stopping this naff development come together and achieve something good.

This is the link to the BEEB article:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-60319920

[arobwk]

I can't quite remember, but was it Johnny Morris who voiced the BBC's "Tales of the River Bank". I seem to think it was, but maybe not.  Confirmation anyone ?

[JM's Animal Magic was just such a fav' prog', but then Tony Hart's Vision On was a very close 2nd.  I can't remember the music score for Animal Magic, but I can just about still hum the theme tune for Vision ON and for Tales of the River Bank !  ]

[Fleecewife]

It was a zoo thing.  We didn't have a TV so I can't remember what his programme was called, but he did the voices for all the animal antics.

[Penninehillbilly]

Surely There will need to be planning permission? If people have used it as a public space for so long, that should be put forward as an objection? Hope you can manage to stop this, it would be such a shame.

[doganjo]

Planning documents said the couple’s “goal is to create a world class and beautiful place for everybody to enjoy”.

Aye if they can afford it!  It's going to be a high class holiday rental - a money maker to recoup teh £500K they bought it for!

Under the couple’s current plans, 35 trees will be cut down, including the felling of four individually surveyed trees, and the old lodge and boathouse pulled down, with a new one built with a jetty for easy access

[Fleecewife]

There's a sly little bit in the Beeb report which says: << They also hope to remove "invasive" or "exotic" species.>>

This is to do with the Woodland Trust (I think) wanting and starting to fell beech trees from the Loch Lomond Islands because they are not native.  They may not be native, but they are beautiful and mix so well with Scots pine and oaks and have been there for a jolly long time. There was no consultation about this, just the dawning horror when the felling began. So that's why the owners think they can slip that in as a sneaky supposed brownie point.

[member=22672]Penninehillbilly[/member] this came to light because of their planning application (they bought the place a couple of years ago and there were a lot of crossed fingers backed then.  Unfortunately it needs more than crossed fingers now).  The old house that was there must by now be in a truly derelict state - it was very spooky 40 years ago 
I'm past my days of protesting but I support all those who are doing so, with my words if not my actions

[mab]

It does seem rather perverse: if you wanted to own a property in the UK that DOESN'T have wallabies,  why would you buy the one that DOES? 


Beside,  if they’re planning to put a tourist lodge on there you would think the wallabies would be a 'unique feature' to attract business.

[Fleecewife]

It does seem rather perverse: if you wanted to own a property in the UK that DOESN'T have wallabies,  why would you buy the one that DOES? 


Beside,  if they’re planning to put a tourist lodge on there you would think the wallabies would be a 'unique feature' to attract business.

You've hit the nail on the head there mab, twice 

[arobwk]

You'd think wouldn't you [member=2177]mab[/member], but perhaps removal of non-native fauna is a leader for chopping down (less apparent) non-native flora as well - which might just happen to obscure bedroom views of the Loch as it happens !! 

[How far does one have to go back before declaring (regionally or nationally) that something is non-native and should be eradicated? Planning advisors/consultants will have all sorts of weaselly words up their sleeve to rake in a fee.]   

[arobwk]

Planning documents said the couple’s “goal is to create a world class and beautiful place for everybody to enjoy”.

Aye if they can afford it!  It's going to be a high class holiday rental - a money maker to recoup teh £500K they bought it for!

Under the couple’s current plans, 35 trees will be cut down, including the felling of four individually surveyed trees, and the old lodge and boathouse pulled down, with a new one built with a jetty for easy access

You are such a cynic [member=26320]doganjo[/member] :  Surely Kirsty will have in mind that the island should remain a community asset and that landing/berthing fees for Loch boaters and/or the cost of the new day-tripper ferry tickets will be modest.  Kirsty might even be considering putting aside a small area idc to cater for local folk who have been able to use the island for a bit of wild-camping over the years;  no doubt at a "locals'" rate per night !?  But then, in all cases. probably not !

[Fleecewife]

<<<[How far does one have to go back before declaring (regionally or nationally) that something is non-native and should be eradicated?]>>>

According to Mr BING, Oaks, Beech, Holly and Spindle all arrived in around 4,000 BC, ie 6,000 years ago.  See the BEECH in there  So how is beech not a native?  I'm totally confused     I know there is this thing in the UK that Beech are not native trees, and clearly the woodland trust thinks it's not native.  The last Ice Age finished about 10,000 years ago after around 100,000 years of ice cover, so ALL our flora and fauna have arrived here since then. It's so daft, isn't it?  I love Beech trees, perhaps my favourites along with Scots Pine.  I must investigate further.....

Tada!.....from BING again:<<<In recent years Beech has been considered to have somewhat of an identity crisis because scientists were unsure whether or not the species we find in Scotland was in-fact native. This is because Beech trees are naturally found only in southern parts of England. Those in Scotland – usually lining roads and avenues – were brought up in the Victorian period, and have colonised our countryside well ever since. Last year the experts finally discovered that the species growing in Scotland did originate from the UK and not mainland Europe >>>

So that's a bit late for the island beeches which have already been felled.

[arobwk]

Could someone kindly post the Inchconnachan planning application reference ?  (I've tried to find, but searches came up with nowt.)   

[Penninehillbilly]

https://eplanning.lochlomond-trossachs.org/OnlinePlanning/simpleSearchResults.do?action=firstPage
Not sure if this works, I searched for 'Inchconnachan island planning' , got the local planning page and went through the search applications system.