Did anybody watch country file today?
There was a piece on the proposed Severn Barrage and how it will affect the archaeology along the estuary coastline. Though I had thought of the effects on wildlife I hadn’t thought about the mud entombed archaeology.
The argument was that the barrage would lower the high water mark leaving archaeological sites that are preserved in the mud to dry out and crumble away. Also that the low water mark would be raised leaving other sites permanently submerged and effectively out of reach.
I think one archaeologist put the number of affected sites at 11000 (not all prehistoric mind)!
Considering other factors such as the effects on the wetland wild life and the number of jobs such a barrier would create, what are your thoughts on this?
Should we lose the archaeology along the stretch to help create renewable energy?
How many of these sites realistically would be examined anyway?
Is the barrage a white elephant which is being proposed just to keep the greens happy?
I am of mixed feelings here…the thought of losing any archaeological sites whether prehistoric or not does my head in. However, the thought of using either nuclear or fossil fuel power stations also gives me a headache!
I would love to hear the opinions of others on the subject and any ideas about what could be done should the barrage get the go ahead.
:o)
Scubi
