Migration…
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This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall,
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands,
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England …
William Shakespeare, John of Gaunt’s speech from Richard II.
For centuries, birds, animals, and humans have migrated for various reasons. This was great when the world was a vast open wilderness where animals could roam. In today’s world, animals struggle to find a place of their own to raise their young as human numbers increase. It isn’t just a simple fact that human numbers are increasing; we take more land for our needs to survive and create more waste and pollution, too.
The loss of the woods where English bluebells grows, means the loss of ecosystem. I live in England, part of the British Isles. Britain has lost almost half of its natural biodiversity over many centuries due to the spread of urban and intense farming. A study carried out by scientists at the London Natural History Museum revealed that Britain is one of the worst-rated nations in the world for the loss of its precious ecosystem.
Britain, at the moment, it is a mess. High prices in the shops, unemployment, and homelessness are on the increase. The gap between the haves and have-nots is growing, which means an increase in crime. There are food banks to help feed those struggling, but even the food banks are asking for donations. Our nation’s health service can’t cope with all the demands. There’s a waiting list for dental care, too. The infrastructure in the country is no longer fit for purpose. Our schools are falling apart, our roads are full of potholes, and there isn’t enough social housing for those who can’t afford to buy.
The incinerator being build to burn waste and rubbish near my village.
Yes, there are massive building projects ongoing in Britain at the moment, but most of these have been financed by overseas investors, but at what cost to Britain. Once the overseas investors take back their money will Britain be able to support itself, or are we just something to be sold on at a price. We have lost most of our big British companies who cared for their employees, and gave them a decent wage and pension plan. Over the years these companies have been sold off to take out the competition and to employ contract workers on the cheap, without job security. Britain is seeing a boom in house building across the land, but the people who need the housing can’t afford it, especially with the loss of employment.
A huge Solar Panel Farm is being built to generate energy for the incinerator
Now back to migration. There’s an increase in the number of people wanting to come into Britain, and with this increase comes more problems. Britain is shrinking as our coastlines are crumbling, and areas are suffering flooding which if you add to the need for more housing becomes a vicious circle. How is Britain supposed to house, clothe and feed more people, when we can’t home, clothe and feed the ones who have the right to be here.
While we are dealing with what humans want, our wildlife is disappearing faster than ever. Over the last 30 years, I have been walking the footpaths around the village where I live and have seen a huge drop in the number of insects and bees. The loss of farmlands means Britain will rely more on imported food to feed the people here. This means more of the land is taken from the once familiar wildlife that inhabited these islands.
So if you are asking me what I complain about the most then here’s my answer:
Where has all the wildlife gone that I once enjoyed seeing while out walking?
