WITH yet another story of destruction of wildlife habitat in Chatteris making the headlines in recent weeks, the importance and need for having safe areas in the form of nature reserves has been reinforced in my mind. I urge all of you that get a chance

WITH yet another story of destruction of wildlife habitat in Chatteris making the headlines in recent weeks, the importance and need for having 'safe areas' in the form of nature reserves has been reinforced in my mind.

I urge all of you that get a chance to object to ill thought-out development proposals or influence things for the good of wildlife to do so.

It is so important that as many of us as possible act as guardians for the wildlife that cannot defend itself and make developers and local authorities realise that they must put more thought into their proposals (and certainly not to just go ahead and bulldoze areas of the countryside).

It is pretty shocking just how much the local landscape has changed even in my relatively short lifetime and the drop in numbers in so many species is impossible to avoid.

I was saddened to see the proposed closure of Milton Country Park on the edge of Cambridge featuring on Look East the other night.

Apparently, the park isn't justifying the money needed to keep it open each year.

What a sad state of affairs that it has come to this.

We have only a small proportion of places where wildlife can live in peace and now it seems as if even these are under threat.

You can sign an online petition at www.savemiltoncountrypark.com

People were being urged to make use of the park and it is important we do go along, take a walk or buy a cup of coffee in the shop when we visit a nature reserve, whether it be one owned by a conservation body such as the RSPB or Wildlife Trusts, or a local council in the form of a country park.

They aren't just for birds and animals; they are for us too.

This is why they are so valuable as they provide endless benefits for everyone from improving our quality of life to hosting creatures that everyone can enjoy and gain pleasure from.

When I visited Kenya in 2005, two signs that I saw in one of the national parks there really stuck in my mind: "Parks are for people and for ever" and "Wildlife is a wise use of a wetland."

I hope that here in this country we don't forget what treasures our reserves, green spaces and parks are and bear these wise words in mind.