UK Biodiversity Offsetting - a modern Indian Appropriations Act

United States of America 1851

From the 17th century, European colonists had mixed relations with the native population of North America. By the late 18th century there were 13 British colonies and over 2 million colonists occupying land that was once a haven for the native people and native species. As land was grabbed, towns and cities grew and many battles took place between natives and the growing population of colonists.

Biodiversity was attacked on all fronts, complete species were sometimes wiped out (Passenger Pigeon) or very nearly wiped out (Bison). The land grab resulted in failing relations with numerous tribes and in 1851 President Grant pursued a policy (The Indian Appropriations Act) of moving tribes from their ancestral lands to plots of land called reservations, whilst at the same time employing Christians to 'educate' the tribes.
Encroaching land development by the colonists had pushed native people to the margins.


England 2013

Biodiversity Offsetting is presented as a 'solution' to resolving the conflict between land development and wildlife habitat. The reality of the 'Biodiversity Offsetting' project is the typical one sided view that the entity with the most power can pretty much do what they like. We have always taken land and done what we like with it, so what is new about Biodiversity Offsetting?

Basically nothing. It's a red herring, it's the same old desires of hard line modern economics and vote grabbing, dressed up as a new 'green' deal.

Owen Paterson won't tell you that you can't have a semi-detached dream home because it will destroy a water voles habitat, he knows you won't vote for him again if he said that. He won't tell you that your home needs to be knocked down to make way for higher density homes, that won't win votes.
What he will tell you is what you want to hear.
Don't worry, it's the water vole that will have his or her home demolished, the water vole will be forcibly captured and moved to a new reservation.

And we all know how successful reservations were for the American tribes.

http://saveourwoods.co.uk/biodiversity-offsetting-2/ngo-concern-as-uk-government-releases-its-consultation-on-biodiversity-offsetting/
http://saveourwoods.co.uk/articles/sustainable-developmentgreen-economy/biodiversity-offsetting-in-uk-one-year-on-not-looking-good/
http://www.rspb.org.uk/news/352869-plans-to-offset-damage-to-wildlife-must-not-become-a-licence-to-trash