Landscaper's Aquatic Garden Gets Pushback From Local Govt
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- Опубликовано: 18 сен 2024
- Pete the Pond is a conservationist who uses his aquatic garden and ponds to increase biodiversity in his community - but now he's getting pushback from local officials.
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Peter Birchall, better known as Pete the Pond, is a landscaper in the UK who specializes in pond construction and the creation of aquatic habitats.
He reportedly has approximately 30 ponds and 180 species of native aquatic plants in his yard, which he says he uses to increase biodiversity in his neighborhood. Pete brings plants and creatures from his garden to schools to teach children about the environment.
But after complaints from neighbors, the Wealden District Council wants him to remove everything from his garden, believing that he is operating a commercial enterprise in a residential area.
To learn more about Pete's Pond and to help save it visit
go.nowth.is/3m... in the UK or go.nowth.is/3m... internationally.
#AquaticPlants #Biodiversity #Garden #Earth #Environment #Science #NowThis
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Its not against the law to have a Garden
It just needs to be empty
wow what unneighbourly neighbours
I have the same problem with my neighbours who took objection to what we are planning in our garden, it’s being designed to work with nature and not against it. But they all prefer neat tidy gardens which do ever little for nature. These people are disconnected from the real world the world of nature.
They’re destroying the earth
Is there a name for the style of garden you are making? I love to garden but only have three seasons under my belt!
I don’t understand how so many hoarders don’t get complaints despite the horrible state of their house or yard, but a man introducing biodiversity through ponds does.
They do get complaints. Often hundreds before anything is done.
"Which maintains the residential qualities of the area" 🙄 Hopefully he can get his ponds and plants saved. He's doing important work! Glad to hear there is a local petition going.
Residential quality means property value. He is causing damage if a neighbor is trying to sell their home.
@@pavelimani I get what it means but I've always had a problem with that system of what makes a property "valuable". To a certain extent, sure, but most of the time I think it's outdated, stifling, and something we should look to have reformed or done away with, personally.
@@batty_babette Also he is operating a commercial business in a residential setting. He admits he sells the plants or uses them in the ponds he builds. He is breaking a bylaw.
@@redwood7121 the fact that thats a law is dumb though, I can understand heavy industry being zoned out but selling plants you grew in your garden should in no way be illegal
@@jtodd3104 it would be no different than printing shirts or wood working. Still need a business license and a commercial building/property to sell from.
The only complain I can relate to is about rats.
A Rat infestation is no Joke , its a real health issue, and it can spread through the whole area .
But His Work for nature has to be protected, its from immense importance.
I dearly hope that they can find a good solution without taking something away from this man. His Work is way to valuable
Yes they knew that when they said it and they knew it would work on people including you.
The rat aspect is a difficult point. On one hand: The principal that all life matter would also include rats.
Conversely this guy is specifically interested in ponds. Rats might actually be more trouble than their are worth right here.
If there’s sewer and stormwater drains then there are rats. It’s nonsense to blame a chap with 150 square feet of garden for a rat infestation while ignoring that giant elephant in the room.
I'm pretty sure he is cultivating an environment that would contain a few snakies to mitigate the rodent proliferation. If the devourer that is urbanization, leaves him alone that is.
The way his garden looks it might be atractive for rats as a place to breed. But (assuming his compost pile isn't completley filled with leftovers) not for food. And the only way to really make sure that the rats don't find a way to breed on your property is maintaining very short grass with no structural elements whatsoever in it. Not a fun garden if you ask me.
With all the living plant matter and hiding spots in his garden I would expect mice much more than rats in garden.
Way to go Pete!!! Keeping nature balanced naturally!!!
Ridiculous. Keep going mate
I didn’t know Santa clause was British. I like him even more now
He’s called Father Christmas Google it
@@M_SC only old people say that now. Most call it santa.
THIS IS CRAZY THEY SHOULD HARASS NON BIO DIVERSE AND EMPTY GARDEN OWNERS !!!
Thanks for doing your part sir for providing home to many native species. We need more people like this to make this a norm
He also seems like an all around nice chap.
Why do we need to make like harder for caring individuals like him?
Please let us know which local council it is so that we can start emailing them to support Peter
Me too have the same problem with my neighbours. They said that you should cut your trees as they have a problem with it.
The problem they told is that they have to cleaned the abccissed leaves which they don't want to do.
They thought that trees are only for decorative purpose.
If the tree was under their property then they wouldn't think even one time to preserve biodiversity and would cut the tree. They even don't know about biodiversity.
Because his garden is different- out of norm. His neighbour is crazy, making issue out of no issue.
It really is a shame the government does not support this man, Imagine the good he could do with all the public property ponds bringing back live where it is now mostly stagnant water due to no care of the people around it. Gov missed the opportunity of hiring this man instead of telling him to stop.
Pete is awesome!!! I signed and wrote a support note for his honorable work!!! He is making the difference!!!
He is just saving the Earth and growing some stuff, not blowing up buildings.
The council is engaged here in what Monty Python would call a "farcical aquatic ceremony".
Oh no. A neighbor doing something good and green. We must stop him and file complaints. Meanwhile, other neighbors have gender reveal parties that end up destroying 1,000’s of acres of land in a fire.
Clearly, the garden man must go!
I’m with Pete on this one.
Administration should give govt. Space or with the help of pete, they should open space for wildlife lab/ or something like that to provide protection to local wildlife! Honestly!
We could just fund him so he can get a piece of land and do his thing in peace and at greater scale.
Some ppl just arent neighbour ppl.
Im one of those...
All the best buddy, your doing the Lords work.
Oh no the council & their neigh doesn't support eco friendly movement. They care only cleanliness. Please do open mind and do not think only about pest
man, leave this man and his garden alone. why don’t they help him?
Strange
Can we sign petitions for him please anyone
In my country, the only regulation about a private property, it's when the property belongs to a gated community. You know community guidelines and contracts exist in how to maintain your home.
Outside that, I can have whatever I want in my property, even when there's clearly a hoarder, there's little authorities can do, they get involved when the homeowner has a mental problem (and even in these case, nobody can take action until a judge approves the order)
So much for freedom in your countries 🙄
Ehhh the waste attracting rats can be an issue. I have a city garden, I have about 50 plants growing. There has been a few rats visiting at night and leaving bite marks on some dirt pods I have for the sprouts outside. A squirrel steals and buries a few small pods. Ita very... Gross. But he needs the manure and whatever else he is using to keep them healthy. Hope it all works out
Isn't that caused mainly by plants grown for food though? The guy is growing nothing but water plants. Seems to me like rats wouldn't actually find a lot to eat in his garden. And since his plants are natural, they're tolerance for Nitrogen is going to be low as well, meaning there's not going to be a lot of fertilization.
I'd expect mice in his garden far more than rats.
@@KityKatKiller valid point. I didn't think of that. The critters have been eating my seeds and such but the seeds have been veggie so you're right.
@@KityKatKiller I actually had to deal with mice
Dont remove all those plants... rather than removing why not buy them and plant them near ponds at the park (if they have ponds there). Removing and disposing those plants would just make the world less green
I love this dude
Leave him alone like wtf not ok to be messing with with an environmentalist you’re just going after someone who cares about the planet and by being against them you reinforce yourself on the loosing side for history
2:20 is the problem: although he's not charging clients for the plants he is including them in a product.
So any person who conducts even a small bit of their commercial enterprise from their home should be shut down?
It's always the neighbors... 🙄
Idk man, it seems like mosquitos would be a big issue since I didn’t notice any running water
We humans can totally miss the connection between the environment, how we treat (support or destroy) nature and natural resources and our own health and sustainability.
We are the only species that actively self destructs, that I know of.
Go Pete! You are LOVE!! ❤️ 🌍❤️🌲 💦 🌱❤️
This man is a global hero.
Solution - evict the non-bio-diverse neighbors.
Does he live in a posh neighborhood hence the complaints?
Keep up the good fight, buddy!
Give this guy a medal. He is amazing
Well to be fair he should work with a local conservation a group to get a area that he can do so and not his backyard. I would be pretty upset if the mouse from next doors kept coming into my house so at least he should keep it somewhat more presentable. I think the whole picture is misconstrued so to appeal to more conservationists which I'm all up for but you have to be respectful for each others homes especially if he's just doing it from his backyard and not on proper commercial land.
You are a tool. If people were not poisoning, trapping, relocating and killing the predators, mice and rats would not be an issue. Also, if you paid attention, the said they 'feared' a rat problem, not that there 'was' a rat problem
“They can be used in ponds I construct as part of my business”.
He said it all right there. It is a business being operated from his home.
Did he say he was charging for that service no, it’s a more case of voluntary work, giving back to nature what too many people are taking away!
He constructs ponds. That's his business. He doesn't grow his garden as a business.
@@usucktoo so...if he said he is using the plants for the ponds he makes...those plants are his, just growing in a customers pond?
@@timmylittle2406 if he charges for making ponds for people thats has nothing to with his home garden, if those customers accept his offer to supply plants and animals to fill them freely then that’s a charitable act, who would want to stop someone being charitable? If people in government can get away with it with million pounds involved then why can’t he?
@@showme360 exactly! But he said in the video its part of his business. He called or out.
Unbelievable
I'm sure if his neighbors looked at his emersed grow as he does... this wouldn't of happened. Or better yet.. make it look cleaner and beautify it or wall it up with a hedge.. plenty of easy fixes
Its not neat enough for rhe neighbors. Sad.I hope it works out for him!
Ok I get the neighborly, bourgeois resistance to the esthetics, but he’s got a positive vision. If he’s crazy, he’s my kind of crazy.
neighbors are just jealous of his plants
The rat thing is pretty valid, id be concerned too if my neighbour had all manor of stuff in his backyard
What "manor of stuff" , as you put it is acceptable in your presence? Be merciful, oh, great and powerful backyard regulator.
You are a tool
Too bad people listen to one side of the story and automatically assume it's true.
I support .
Preserving nature over aesthetic only.
fr. other country
Sir David Attenborough on the case Chris Packem or Makayla on the case
The council doesn't care much about what's going on in his garden. What they care about is him using using it as part of his professional activity without declaring it, which is probably a local tax violation and he may not have the required insurance.
He is breaking the law, and the council is giving him the opportunity to set it right. If he fights, they will apply the law. If he sets things right, everything will be OK.
Nope
@@M_SC Would you care to provide more details ?
@William Drake Please tell me what I misunderstood from the video, or where I went wrong in my analysis.
He uses the plants for ponds that he constructs for others so I don't think it would vialate any tax laws, and as far as I k ow he's the only one "working" there so I don't think he would be required to have insurance
@@jtodd3104 In France, you have to declare if a place you own/rent is being used for residential or professional purposes. Cities can impose local taxes on companies in their jurisdiction (or at the very least, they could in the past).
I do not know if there is such a system in the UK, I only have limited knowledge of the French corporate as that is where I live, so if there are any people that do this stuff professionally in the UK I will of course defer to their experience.
How dare you have natural ecosystems on your property! The only reason anyone does anything is for money, so he's plotting an enterprise! Shut it down! /sssssssss
This dude is my new best friend. What a great man.
Looks good for mosquito populations to flourish
Hello it wasn't gardeny enough or pass the cutie patootie test and yes patootie is a word. Gardeny not so much. I fully endorse Pete the pond 💯% Barry the Bog gets it as well.
Leave the man be
There has to be a solution that allpws everyone to win.
Are they native plants? They dont all look native...maybe people were concerned about possible non-native invasives.
Now the permaculture thing...yeh he should be allowed to do that.
If there really are rats, Pete needs some cats
Its sad how neighbors ,even if you claim to be a Christian can't even follow the 10 commandments thou shalt not covet thy neighbors house of anything. Put it simpler mind your own business. If you don't want someone telling you what to do on your own property than why are you complaining about other people's property. SMDH
Ah the uneducated general public
The problem is he is probably doing this in a residential area in the heart of a city. If you want to do this crazy back to Earth thing, go on the outskirts and do it. Sheesh
Tell the Karen neighbors to get some terriers for pets..no more rat problem
Ignorance is a terrible thing. This is pure vindictive. Chip in and learn something. Find him some non productive land nearby This man is a community asset. Open your mind open your Christian heart or Hindu