Wednesday, May 24, 2017

The Horsingdon Transmissions 144: Endangered Species



A small nature reserve - bisected by a meandering nature trail - stands at the foot of Horsingdon Hill, facing on to the Grand Union Canal. A few years ago, iron railings were suddenly and unexpectedly erected around the reserve. Entry on to the nature trail is now forbidden by order of Horsingdon Council, and the entire area is monitored by cctv. These actions have been justified as necessary to the protection of rare and endangered flora and fauna which apparently flourish in this largely-overgrown wooded area.

Other rumours hold that such measures were a consequence of increasing reports of unexpected encounters with monstrous, hulking shapes in the woods - and of the further reports of casual ramblers mysteriously disappearing whilst walking the trail that inevitably followed. These rumours also maintain that the iron railings are intended to prevent something from within the protected zone making its way out - suggesting in turn that perhaps the engangered species most in need of safeguarding is the one which, for the moment, maintains its tenuous existence outside the bounds of the reserve.

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