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Environmental News
Dog Fouling
You may remember reading extracts from an Email that the HVS committee received
from a regular visitor to Hurst, printed in the
April 2004 newsletter. The visitor said
“imagine my dismay when I found most of your beautiful walking trails and
pavements befouled with dog poo, old gear boxes, refrigerators... People are using
Hurst as a dumping ground and your residents walking their dogs are carrying
doggy poo bags for show — not for picking up the poo”.
Whilst the HVS realises that responsible dog owners are picking up their dogs’ mess,
it has to be said that there are areas in the village where there is a dog fouling
problem. In response, the HVS has investigated what the law says in relation to dog
fouling in Hurst:
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Wokingham District Council
adopted the
Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996
to cover the whole district. It is an offence, therefore, to allow a dog
to foul and not clear up the mess anywhere in Hurst (with a few
exceptions). The law applies to roadside verges,
footpaths, byways and bridleways because they are deemed to be the
public highway. Offenders can be issued with a fixed penalty fine of
£50 or liable to be prosecuted in court where they can be fined up to
£1000 and receive a criminal record.
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There are a growing number of council employees who are trained to enforce the law
on behalf of
Wokingham District Council.
If you are aware of any persistent
offenders or would like to report instances of dog fouling please contact the
Wokingham District Animal Warden on 0118 974 xxxx.
Instances of fly tipping can also be reported to
Wokingham District Council
on 0118 974 xxxx.
Hedgelaying Project in Hogmoor Lane
The Society has been awarded a grant to enable the hedge that was
planted in 1998
by volunteers to be laid. The grant money has come from the
Environmental Trust for Berkshire (landfill tax)
and the landowner, The Lady Ingram Trust. Richard Girdler,
the local hedge layer, will lay the hedge during November/December this year.
Why lay a hedge?
Hedge laying is a traditional technique for managing a hedgerow. Hedge laying
promotes dense regrowth from the base of the hedge as opposed to flailing which
leaves a hedge sparse at the bottom with the majority of regrowth coming from the
top, creating a haven for wildlife.
Biodiversity survey news
This summer three more Great Crested Newt breeding ponds were found which is further
evidence of Hurst being a hot spot for this species. The pair of Barn Owls that bred
successfully in Hurst last year hatched two chicks this year. Elsewhere, there was a
decline in the number of Barn Owls using the artificial nest boxes for roosting.
Nationally, Barn Owls have had a poor year in the south of Britain but have faired
better in the North.
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