Nature Trash Talk

Nature Trash Talk

While standing on the bridge near Water Meadows Reserve and observing the water below, I sought inspiration for that day's photo shoot.  I tend to have an open mind when visiting the park when it comes to what to capture, as you never know what tends to present themselves to you on the day. But I still like to have some kind of plan of action before I begin to wonder around, so as not to miss any given opportunity.

I noticed something red and silver, slightly down by the branches which were bearing down touching the flowing water’s edge and zoomed in. I saw that it was a fishing wire, hook and weight that had been caught up in the branches. I then had an idea. I will try to photograph waste and trash that was lying around the park whenever I see any. I was hoping that this would be hard to find and capture, which would make it a challenge, but alas the more I walked around the park, the more I found.

I’m not trying to highlight that the park is full of rubbish, as that very much is not the case, and I think that if you are looking for something specific the more you see of it. A lot of the discarded rubbish was in the thick of bushes or in woodlands away from the paths and trails. Mostly ended up there by being blown with the wind.

I continued along the designated nature trail toward 'The Nest,' proceeded around to the lower path of High Hill Field near the Go Ape activities, and entered the woodland behind, ascending towards the Old Brick Kiln. The following are photographs I captured during this walk.

These images were edited to convey a dark, almost sombre undertone, with the main subject intentionally highlighted. This approach was chosen to emphasise how discarded rubbish and litter stands out starkly against the natural greens and oranges of the woodland environment.

Cleaning up all the rubbish in such a large park is undoubtedly a huge challenge for such a large Park, especially since daily visitors are often the main contributors to the problem. It is unfortunate that some people (and this is very few) leave litter in this beautiful setting without any consideration on the impact it has to the wildlife. Although there are rubbish bins available on the site, not everyone takes the responsibility to use them.

I need to highlight that the park has great, active, and structured clean up initiatives for rubbish collection. The park itself has daily operations in place to keep visitor waste to a minimum and there are also organised litter picks throughout the year where volunteers give their own time to help with the park cleanliness. If you want to help with these please see the link below:

https://www.itchenvalley.co.uk/volunteering

The photographs I captured on this day are intended to creatively highlight the subject of littering and its environmental issues and should not be interpreted as discouraging for any future visits.

This is a beautiful Park, and I really enjoy my time when visiting. To help highlight in any way I can, for visitors to be more conscientious when on site. I find myself now, actively picking up any litter I see whilst walking around when on my photographic journey. This activity benefits the environment and keeps the park clean, but I also find it calming and mindful. By being visible while picking up litter, I hope to inspire others; visitors who notice tidier spaces might be encouraged to show more respect and take similar actions when they visit.

Don't let this post deter you from visiting the Park, as it really is a great place to see wildlife and views of the woodland. Great for kids to play and learn.