Punishing

Masochism should be pleasure through pain. It's believed that some people get a thrill from watching Saturday night television on BBC1 and ITV1. So I'm told anyway.

But how would you describe reading SWT's Blacka Management Plan (draft) which brings no pleasure only pain and weariness?

When SWT's Operations Manager, Roy Mosley contacted all those on the Blacka mailing list with a link to the draft plan he wrote as follows:

The draft plan is a substantial document and, in places, is quite technical.  This is because it is aimed at providing Wildlife Trust reserve managers with as much information as possible about Blacka Moor and the background to the proposed management activities.  We understand that not everyone will wish to spend time going through the full document.

Perhaps the hope was that this would put people off from even bothering to read it. Odd anyway that the email is sent by Roy Mosley but is signed by Nabil Abbas who is titled 'Living Landscapes Manager (South) and is the replacement for Annabelle who departed earlier in the year. Nabil confirmed with me when I met him that he had not yet read the draft plan!!

Those who do try to read it might be tempted to believe that the writer knows Blacka well. That temptation should be resisted. Most of what is described in the 97 pages is 2nd or 3rd hand or as described in an earlier post 'bureaucratic hogwash' with no meaningful content. 

I can confirm that the writer does not know Blacka well. Ignorance in this sector does not seem any impediment to being a manager who formulates policy and strategy. Only the briefest of looks has revealed glaring omissions of key wildlife in the description and inclusion of landscape features that no longer exist! But for SWT (now SRWT)* accuracy does not matter. What matters is the number of pages, the ability to fill out a document with headings and sub-headings, tables and charts etc all of which can be done by somebody who doesn't know the site. There's method in this because it's been calculated that what impresses the gullible target audience is the said charts and tables and report format. Partly it's that it must be good because it's boring and pretentious. Sadly there are many who are impressed by such things. 

* SRAWT could be appropriate (Sheffield and Rotherham Anti-Wildlife Trust?)

Punishment must be taken so I will persist in reading this document taking only small doses at a time; medical advice should not be ignored. Further comments expected. Blood pressure monitor ready.