I VISITED the proposed transit site at Monks Brook.

As a photographer I have visited the site many times over the years. It used to be mowed and so didn't supply much of interest but it's a nice quiet place to stroll and walk.

It has since been returned to the way God intended and left to Mother Nature to redress what we as humans have done. She is a wonderful phenomenon and has done her very best to redress our errors and returned many species in all their glory. On arrival the silence is wonderful even with two main roads and motorways it is astounding. Birds are singing, with grasshopper and cricket, rabbits are running to and fro, even the old car and washing machine have been redressed with ox eyed daisy and bindweed and thistle to name a few.

I then noticed that an agency has left slow worm traps scattered about here and there. On inspecting to see what has crawled under the traps I can officially inform the panel that I saw about 100 slow worm hiding under the various traps.

I then moved around the site to see what else could be found in this mini wonderland besides the butterflies, spiders, bees and many, many wild flowers. Then to my amazement I saw a wasp spider. This spider we all know or should, is rare to southern Britain. We used to have them at the Octavia Road site but most was destroyed by a grass fire and I didn't record any last year. Is this one going to meet the same fate and lose another site?

I recall the Hawthorn Centre getting all sorts of media coverage when they found one on their site even though I reported the existence at Octavia Road and Itchen Valley when I was a volunteer ranger for Itchen Valley, but this is the first and only one I saw on this site on July 14.

I then moved further around the site taking the odd picture as I went and apologising to Mother Nature as I went on behalf of my fellow human beings as this could be the last time we see this site in all its glory before those in power dress it in concrete.

I would request that the board revisit this site now and see for themselves what we are about to destroy. It is totally different to the site that was displayed in winter.

Come see it in summer and you will all agree. We have a duty to protect all our reserves big and small and never dress them in concrete for any reason whatsoever.

R PAINTON, on behalf of Mother Nature and all her children.