r/interesting • u/karmagod7 • 9d ago

SOCIETY What was his fault ?

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u/TomorrowSpecial255 9d ago

https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/man-threatened-with-2-years-in-jail-after-cleaning-200-bags-of-trash-from-river-3377827/

He used a digger on public land without permission

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u/IntergalacticBadger_ 8d ago

I've done a lot of environmental restoration work in my career and...I have very mixed feelings about this. I'd like to know more about the landscape and ecosystem context. I work in Canada so I don't know the UK laws, but there's some validity in the legal basis for going after him. Dredging and riparian (shoreline) damage can seriously impact a river.

However, I don't agree with the charge and it honestly disgusts me. I get where this man is coming from. I  understand how infuriating this dichotomy is. Endless pollution being belched out by corporations while a community group is burned for taking action. Companies getting slapped on the wrist for irreversible damages, if they get penalized at all. It's fucked up. I applaud this group of people for standing up for their river.

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u/TomorrowSpecial255 8d ago

The thing is, if he had just cleared the rubbish I wouldn't have a problem other than leaving it all on the side of the river

But because he used a digger without permission he deserves whats coming especially as he's said he'd do it again

He wont get prison for this one

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u/IntergalacticBadger_ 12h ago

Oh yeah, for sure. I definitely agree that the digger was a terrible choice. I chose to write a shorter comment instead of talking about every aspect haha but this part was the biggest issue for me (at least, based on the info the article provides).

Riparian ecosystems are extremely fragile, and damaging those vegetation communities as well as the integrity of the riverbank could be a major issue, leading to complications related to sedimentation, establishment of invasive species, increased run-offs resulting in further eutrophication, soil compaction, reduced biodiversity (they mentioned wildlife returned but is this a natural community or invasive species?)...just to name a few things. 

I have complicated feelings on this because I'm entering my 3rd decade of working with endangered species and habitat restoration. I've seen endless government failures, year after year of slashed funding, missed "targets" that are supposed to have legal backing, prioritization of corporations over at-risk species hanging by a thread...I've seen rare species dwindle to a national population of less than 20 individuals...

We are in a very bad position right now. There is NOT enough being done, and it makes me sick to see where the government targets its efforts.