Today, the focus of COP28 is on nature. Yes, Day 9 of the conference being held in Dubai = Nature Day, an opportunity to have nature recovery on the global centre stage. There, it is recognised that conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of nature is integral for achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. Today is a day when the conference will showcase efforts that accelerate the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the recently adopted agreement which provides a clear path for halting and reversing nature loss to help deliver a climate-safe future.

Coincidentally and somewhat ironically, it is Day 9 of our campaign to Save Broadwater Lake from the threat of development by Hillingdon Council, who have submitted a planning application to build a Watersports Facility and Activity Centre on this Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), nationally recognised for its importance to waterbirds - specifically endangered species, Shoveler and Pochard.

So, whilst in Dubai Heads of State and world leaders at COP28 discuss inspiring and progressive projects, here the clock is ticking on a decision on the future of Broadwater Lake that could set a dangerous precedent for over 4,000 SSSIs in England and be catastrophic for our wildlife. In the context of nature recovery being on the centre stage, it feels ludicrous to be typing this but yes, the Council’s plans put recreational activities and all the disturbance they will cause on water and on land over the welfare of this nationally important wildlife refuge and the species it supports. This at a time when our nation’s wildlife is in freefall and one in six species are threatened with extinction.

For me, this is where it gets personal.

I was born in 1970 – the same year as the benchmark data we refer to in the State of Nature Report. The daughter of a keen naturalist, some of my earliest memories were made in a pair of red wellies. My Dad never questioned that a four-year-old wouldn’t love to circumnavigate a lake, climb up onto a fallen tree, get stuck in a bog, scramble down boulders, find the adventure of being lost in a forest, wade in a stream so deep that those red wellies became wetlands themselves. All the while, he would point out wildflowers, bird calls, butterflies, the different leaves on different trees and the name of every bird-sized speck on the horizon.

Wherever we went, my Dad would look for nature – early camping trips took us to Weymouth in Dorset and he would rise early and head out to Radipole Lake, coming back with a list of waterbird sightings before breakfast. At Osmington Sands, he would lift the largest pebbles in the rockpools and show me the unseen wildlife that flourished beneath. In Lynmouth, his quest to regain a good view of a fleetingly seen Dipper, rendered all the family bored as hell. Closer to home, we’d enjoy a flask of hot soup in one of the hides at Lemsford Springs, whilst Dad pointed out the Green Sandpipers in the watercress beds and I’d draw breath when we were lucky enough to see the petrol-blue flash of a Kingfisher making a quick dive! During the spring and summer evenings, Dad would be lured by the melodic call of the Nightingale, heading out locally on his bike to try and spot one of these secretive birds. The Nightingale is sadly now extinct in Hertfordshire, and since the year of my birth there has been a 19% decline in the species studied in the State of Nature Report.

My Dad had a love for the natural world and wildlife that defined him as a person. He was gentle and empathetic, always tuned in. He noticed things that other people did not. That was a gift he imparted to me – an appreciation of nature, of birds that fly, mammals that rustle, creatures who swim, trees that dance in the breeze, hedgerows which burst with wild colour, wildflowers that scent the air.

Nature is a gift and one to be passed from generation to generation. Since I donned those red wellies 50 years ago and in the years since then, some of the bird calls I once heard with my Dad have, like him, gone from this earth.

We have a choice to stand up for nature and let the next generation share in what we have experienced. Or we can stand by, do nothing and watch the world become a less chirpy, less rustly, less colourful place, and, in the process, become less ourselves.

If the planning application at Broadwater Lake SSSI is approved what will that mean for the future of the other five SSSIs in the London Brough of Hillingdon, and the precedent this sets for the country’s 4,000+ legally protected wildlife sites? What will it mean for the one in six species threatened with extinction in the UK? What will it mean for our children, and our grandchildren? This is not a planning decision that impacts the Shovelers and Pochards that come here every winter alone, this is a big one for local wildlife, for our region, for the country, for us - these plans are starkly juxtaposed with the discussions that will take place on nature recovery in Dubai.

We can all make a difference for nature, to use our voices to stand up for the wildlife that cannot stand up for itself and to protect the precious habitats that provide a refuge for our wild species. In the case of Broadwater Lake SSSI, we can use our voices for Pochard, Shoveler, Emperor Dragonfly, Cetti’s Warbler, and Daubenton’s Bat, as well as hundreds of moulting Tufted Ducks, which take refuge at Broadwater Lake each summer, whilst unable to fly. We can stand up for this expansive wetland that stores carbon – vital in the fight against climate change. We can stand up for those we love.

On Day 9 of COP28, Nature Day, we will hear much about the global nature and climate crisis – and that can feel extremely daunting, but bring that back to a local level – a personal level - and it’s reassuring to know that we can all have an effect on the big picture. Our actions can override our anxiety.

Will you play a role in how the story plays out right here in Hertfordshire and Middlesex and object to Hillingdon Council’s proposal? I will, I owe it to my Dad, myself and my sons.

How to object

Objecting to Hillingdon Council’s plans to build a Watersports Facility and Activity Centre at Broadwater Lake SSSI is quick and easy – you’ll need to register on the website here and upload a comment. Bear in mind, it’s ok to show emotion, but please be polite and don’t be personal. Comments which are offensive or discriminatory may not be published and that may result in the whole of your response being ignored. Whilst it’s best if you put your objection in your own words, here are three reasons why the planning application’s claims to be ecologically-led don’t stack up – you may wish to reference one, some or all of these in your comments:

1. Disturbance 

Broadwater Lake is nationally important (a Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI) for its breeding and wintering birds and other species, such as Grey Heron, Little Egret, Cormorant, Kingfishers, Cetti’s Warbler (breeding) and Shoveler, Pochard (wintering) and Tufted Duck (moulting). It’s particularly important as an undisturbed open water refuge for waterfowl in the wider Colne Valley.  The existing sailing activities here already cause a level of disturbance and the proposed development will greatly intensify this. Crucially, the development of a facility on the peninsular will shift the starting location for existing (sailing) and all new water-based activities (kayaking, canoeing, rowing, paddle-boarding, raft-building, windsurfing) from the north of the lake to the south where no sailing takes place currently. A variety of land-based activities are also proposed on the peninsular itself, including pedal go-karting, high and low ropes and zip lines. This will bring unprecedented levels of disturbance closer to the critical refuge area in the south of the lake and onto the peninsular itself, subjecting birds and other wildlife to a barrage of noise and movement in some form throughout the year. 

The planning application proposes new refuge areas for birds but these are insufficient and it underplays how significant disturbance will be. Wildlife cannot thrive alongside this level of intense recreational activity.

If the Council took its biodiversity duties seriously, it would promote a vision for Broadwater Lake as a peaceful refuge for wildlife, giving people an opportunity to reconnect with, enjoy and learn about nature in a beautiful unique setting. All recreational activities associated with the Hillingdon Water Sports Facility and Activity Centre, should be relocated to more suitable places elsewhere. 

2. Alternative sites 

The Council has carried out an Alternative Sites Assessment which claims that Broadwater Lake is the only suitable and available site to relocate Hillingdon Outdoor Activity Centre (HOAC). However, it has missed previous opportunities to find an alternative site with fewer impacts on wildlife. If the application was really ecologically-led, it should have focused on ecological harm rather than purely recreational criteria. As a designated SSSI, Broadwater Lake was ruled out in 2015 by the Parliamentary Select Committee when HS2, the Council and HOAC all recognised it was not appropriate due to its ecological importance. The assessment also does not consider whether it would be possible to split activities across two or more smaller sites with fewer ecological sensitivities. 

 (For more details, see the Alternative Site Assessment) 

3. Conflict with national and local policy 

The planning application claims that, because of all the proposed mitigation measures like natural screening and restricting some activities to certain times of year, there is no significant negative effect on wildlife and the proposed development complies with national and local policies protecting wildlife. The claims of no significant effects are not credible. Disturbance to breeding, moulting and wintering birds, from both the construction and use of the centre once its operational cannot be properly mitigated for. It is clear that there will be significant harm to biodiversity and an adverse effect on a legally protected site. 

This means that the proposed development is in direct conflict with national and local planning policies which protect wildlife. Using a site which is nationally protected for nature conservation as a watersports activity centre undermines these policies and sets a damaging precedent. 

Further reading

It's vital that local authorities recognise the role of nature in addressing climate change because protecting and restoring habitats will go a long way to store carbon and address biodiversity loss in our nature-depleted country. We appreciate you adding your voice to Save Broadwater Lake and for standing up for nature and our planet.

You can find out more about COP28 and the latest news from the Wildlife Trust here, and more about the Threat to Broadwater Lake SSSI here.