Wildflower experiment along Fort Road now an overgrown jumble
I really must agree with Rob Batiste and his recent excellent article on the general mess the island is in, especially with regard to the current fashion of rewilding and the seemingly out-of-control weeds which are appearing all over the island.
Rewilding is fine where there is open derelict unused land which could be transformed into a natural habitat, but masses of weeds growing along most of the road gutters, pavements and verges is for certain not assisting the environment.
Who has the responsibility for clearing weeds from roads and many other public areas? For example, take a look at the small memorial garden on the Grange. Very nice flower beds but surrounded by what used to be nicely and regularly-mowed grass is now just a mass of overgrown grass and weeds. Many other areas are in a similar condition and of course the rather pointless wildflower experiment along Fort Road, which is now just an overgrown jumble of no flowers, just weeds – it looks embarrassing. The long grass verges along the eastern seaboard are a classic case. Grass overgrown with all sorts of noxious weeds growing along the edges. This could be a lovely promenade with seating and palm trees – Jersey has a similar area along its front and it is superb with paved walkways, trees and grass which is cut regularly. Lots of seating areas and all very attractive.
It all just looks awful and what our diminishing tourists must think of it I don’t know. What with the Town and other areas disappearing under scaffolding and seemingly non-stop roadworks our once lovely island is a mess. Surely the constables should take this on-board and allow for this work in their annual budgets. I believe the States do clear the cliff paths, and a good job they do too, so surely this work can be extended to other areas as well. Would using basically free labour through the prison system be the answer?
MARTIN NICKOLLS