Botany Bay to Ferny hill August 16, 2026

Botany Bay to Ferny Hill walk August 17, 2026. Where have the birds gone and what is happening with Salmons Brook?

Further information on dashboard evaluation framework can be found on the “Methods” page

Overall, this path has improved significantly since I last monitored and wrote about it in May 2026. The debris has been largely cleared, and no litter was spotted. No anti-social behaviour either. Accessible path. Very dry due to the drought, but the newly planted trees are growing quickly with the increased sun despite not having any rain. However, it has raised some concerns for me about what checks were done during nesting season to clear trees and shrubs to support another environmental initiative: the Salmons Brook River Restoration project. I appreciate there are choices to be made, and I have raised a letter you can find in the campaign section on 19th August 2026 to enquire about birds nesting in the area.

The most notable change was the drop in bird numbers when I repeated the walking bird survey. You will note that I retraced the same route I took in May 2026, and that bird life in this area has dropped significantly following the clearing of trees and shrubs. You can observe details of the cleared area and learn more about the Salmons Brook project and the trade-offs between one environmental project and another. When I repeated the bird-walking survey in nearby Trent Park, I observed a significant increase in bird density, which I will report in detail in my next report due in August 2026. I have written to enquire about why this clearing could not wait until September and what checks were conducted before approval. You can find that letter here and on the campaigns page.