Landscaping - The First To Go In Budget Cuts - LJN Blog Posts

It is very sad that in a PR driven society like England, when hard governmental, (both local and central), financial decisions are made, the easiest of targets are those costs levied against the creation and conservation of nature. Very few people will complain, after all the real cost of planting a tree for council is considerably more than what us as practioners would dare charge a client, particularly when adding in the cost of the 3rd man to stare at the work being done.This apathy is not new, it is almost traditional in this country and yet the consequences are much more serious than the loss of another potential habitat for more insects.In 'Nord Pas de Calais' the most North Eastern region of France, it would be hard to find a more turbulent and soul destroying history. It's heavy industry and war scarred landscape have hardly endeared it to anyone, not even it's own population. However this is now a changed landscape; huge areas have been completely transformed, there has been a surprisingly little amount of Euros invested into the Lille Metropole 'Espace Naturel' area, (compared with most UK projects), which now, where once was waste industrial land, are landscapes identical to the French Idyll. Canals and waterways full of Lilies and Reeds, Agricultural land nestling up against the minor roads with avenues of poplars. The soil underneath is full of cadmium and other nasties, which are being 'phytoremediated'. Why was this done?, because to have somewhere where it is possible to take the family and enjoy a day in a rural landscape is considered beneficial not least to psychological health but physical health as well. The whole region has enjoyed a renaissance as a result, this landscaping has helped the region to suddenly start earning surprisingly significant amounts of tourist money. The release of the brilliant film 'Bienvenue Chez Les Chti', has only accelerated this process.This would never occur in the England, millions will be spent on Bankers in priority to any projects to alleviate the tedium that is becoming, unfortunately symbolic of England. The closest has been the National Forest scheme, which has seen spending cuts year upon year. The Scots, when the Millennium Dome fiasco was continuing spend out on the MFST. This in a country where already the people have the right to roam wherever they pleased. But in England to try and find a 'green space' to enjoy a simple picnic is no mean feat, you will probably have to travel miles and spend serious money.It would of course be impossible to transform government perception in the current financial climate, but it is essential for the health of the nation to start creating new or reversing areas into landscapes which the population can enjoy on their own doorstep, without the need to pay institutes like the National Trust large sums just to be able to sit on a patch of grass and watch the trees sway in the breeze, which we are all surely entitled to do.It is hard to criticise the National Trust, what they have achieved is enviable across the world, but it is not an ideal. A woodland / parkland landscape will allow for many groups of people to enjoy the same space without the need to cluster in one location. At the present time when the looming threat of swine flu is set to sweep the nation, surely any escape into a landscape where you and your family can enjoy some solitude at little or no cost is vital.

Part of the Espace Naturel, waterway regeneration.

Absolutely; and the major difference in France and the rest of Europe is that there is a strong and listened to lobby from within the landscaping profession as well as the public. When I was shown around the Lille Metropole Espace Naturel, some of the landscapers themselves were present to describe the operations, (this would never happen in the UK). The various UK organisations supposedly representing the landscaping industry turn the phrase lacklustre into an artform. There has to be lobbying from within the industry to allow proper regeneration to occur. At present if a large project is in the offing, the landscapers themselves would not be consulted in the UK, by way of any organisation and yet this is vital to allow for costs to be met properly and the scheme to actually work. Frankly BALI, APL and indeed now it appears the LI also, should be ashamed of themselves; there have been so many wasted opportunities and the individuals and small businesses in the sector have lost a sense of general credibility allowing the current flood of builders to come into the industry as well as the ludicrous scenario as detailed on the forum where there threats being bandied about.

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Comments

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Craig McGinty April 29, 2009 at 9:46am

Writing as a lover of France, it seems that there is much more of a connection with the benefits that green spaces can bring.

There are still very run down and depressing parts of French cities that need help, but the overall impression you get is that the local environment plays a key role in everyday life.
Sustainable Land Management April 29, 2009 at 12:15pm

Absolutely; and the major difference in France and the rest of Europe is that there is a strong and listened to lobby from within the landscaping profession as well as the public. When I was shown around the Lille Metropole Espace Naturel, some of the landscapers themselves were present to describe the operations, (this would never happen in the UK). The various UK organisations supposedly representing the landscaping industry turn the phrase lacklustre into an artform. There has to be lobbying from within the industry to allow proper regeneration to occur. At present if a large project is in the offing, the landscapers themselves would not be consulted in the UK, by way of any organisation and yet this is vital to allow for costs to be met properly and the scheme to actually work. Frankly BALI, APL and indeed now it appears the LI also, should be ashamed of themselves; there have been so many wasted opportunities and the individuals and small businesses in the sector have lost a sense of general credibility allowing the current flood of builders to come into the industry as well as the ludicrous scenario as detailed on the forum where there threats being bandied about.
dgeorgea April 30, 2009 at 12:13am

I had a real epiphany moment during a meeting with contractors, council officials and others.

We had been persuaded to let the council do some of the external decorators, as it would be cheaper. I have been trying to get the cost so that we know how much we will be required to return to the council out of our allowances.

The reply was they didn't know because there were still meetings like the one we were at going on. Decs were not even on the agenda.

This is perhaps one reason why tenant management organisations are more efficient than councils. If we have £60,0000 for external decs we use that for external decs, money left over is ploughed back into the community. With the council they are factoring their share of the money all the way through.

It has made me somewhat cynical with other projects the council is responsible for overseeing. But to get things done we have to dance to the tune the piper chooses.
Cornish Apple Trees May 3, 2009 at 9:48am

check out 'orchards' there is a new campaign to promote orchards. good for my business and a great way of providing a rural landscape as regards above. public orchards are a must.
Gabino Carballo May 4, 2009 at 8:54am

Hi all,

Part of the blame for this situation lies with the "overmanagerialization" that Britain (as well as other countries) has suffered. Big budget cuts have been implemented across the board, ostensibly, to increase efficiency. In reality, operations on the ground and services have been cut, whilst money going to consultants, paper pushing managers and quangos has increased, possibly ten-fold, over the last two decades or so.

Not surprisingly, these quangos and individuals make decissions that keep them in business (more paper pushing) whilst actual work, on the ground is procrastinated upon (it's too expensive, we can't afford it, we are told).

As the Financial sector has shown, we need to go back to basics: hard honest work needs to be rewarded. Hot air and thick reams of paper filled with made-up words belong in the recycling bin.
Andrew Garner May 6, 2009 at 8:10pm

Take a budget of £100,000 for a council project:
£15,000 - Feasbility study
£15,000 - Risk Assessment
£25,000 - Consultation Fees
£20,000 - Website and Publicity
£15,000 - Survey and Liasion
£9,450 - Expenses
£50 - For the planting of the 10 square metre flowerbed
Gabino Carballo May 8, 2009 at 12:01pm

Sounds familiar Andrew!

This is a very good article that goes a long way to explain how we got ourselves in this mess:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090313.wcomint...

It's US based, but it can be exported to most countries where managerial claptrap has been adopted as overriding philosophy.
Sustainable Land Management May 8, 2009 at 4:55pm

It is deliberate government policy for many western countries - the idea is simple to provide as many tiers as possible thus creating large sectors of middle management which can boost up the economy. Personally it just reminds me of the 'Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy' and the third spaceship, the one which was send off with all the 'useless' professions before the workers and the academics who of course never left the planet - great stuff, but sad that it is all so true.