Thank you for your leader/comment re the Government disposing of National Nature Reserves. It was the first that I have heard of the proposal and, like you, my immediate response was 'no way'.

But then, reading on you wrote that they were proposing to give the land to organisations such as the National Trust, Woodland Trust and local naturalist societies who had management experience so that the land would be maintained in its present state. You however bridled at the fact that the Government would not pay for maintaining the properties and said 'They were having a laugh.'

I think you're missing something here. The land is being given away. Normally these charities have to pay for such land in order to protect it. That's why they exist.

Secondly a lot of this land gains from benign neglect with occasional light work to maintain valuable features. In fact Lady Park Wood is being left completely to nature as part of research. When work is necessary these charities already have systems up and running organising interested volunteers to work on the properties.

Thirdly, The National Trust, who have been buying vulnerable coast land to save it from development under their Enterprise Neptune Scheme can make the land inalienable i.e. They cannot sell the land without there first being an act of parliament to allow it.

One more point to illustrate what I mean. There is a small field above Blakeney known as Clarkes Meadow. This land had to be bought by a local charity to protect the wild flowers from being destroyed by farming operations. The management of this land involves cutting the grass and removing it, in other words making hay. They just cut it later so the hay is not so good. I and others gain tremendous pleasure visiting such places. I also visit the NNRS but I know that civil servants are being paid to manage the land. I haven't a clue what they do for their money, but they don't come cheap.

This is why the Government wants to give the land away. The government don't want to say so in so many words because it would mean that they have been wasting money all this time. Might your next leader advise  'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth'. We can then have a quiet chuckle or even laugh out loud when they're out of earshot.

– John Timbrell.