Barbican Living
Biodiversity in the Barbican (See related topics below the picture)
When I first moved into the Barbican, I soon realised that one of its major attractions as a residential area was the complete absence of any birds to wake you up hours before your alarm clock goes off. I put this down to the amazing foresight of the City planners in covering absolutely everywhere with concrete. In the Barbican you could wake up gently to the reassuring hum of faraway traffic. Now, despite the City's best efforts, the birds have moved in. There seem to be a lot of pigeons - not the raggedy feral type you see in Trafalgar Square, but sleek well-fed ones, which are presumably racing pigeons bred by some subversive bird terrorist up north. These stupid birds sit on balconies making annoyingly penetrating noises. Almost as bad are the Canadian geese which have invaded the lake and gardens in recent years. They make more noise than the pigeons but not from quite so close up, which is why they only get second billing. But they defecate in extraordinary amounts, and apparently take the trouble of waddling out of the gardens and up onto the walls of our terraces for this purpose. They attack people lying on the grass in the gardens. They kill the ducklings which are quiet and pretty. The Barbican Estate Office told me that Canadian geese could only be killed by someone with a special licence to kill. There have been a lot less of them recently, so perhaps some 007 gardener has been at work. Or perhaps the Barbican foxes, which are infinitely more attractive creatures, have been behaving as good neighbours should.
‘Biodiversity’ is a term used to describe the number of species of flora and fauna in an area. The Corporation is keen to protect and enhance biodiversity in the square mile. The City authorities are trying to establish what wildlife still clings on in the City, and it is looking for ways to protect it and re-introduce species which have died out. It has set up committees and a steering group. They are interested in the Barbican of course. The residents have also set up groups to further the aims of biodiversity. Conservation in the Barbican is a good thing. There are birds which need to be saved or nurtured, because they have the three essential qualities: they are attractive when you catch a glimpse of them, they are silent in the mornings, and they generally keep out of our way. But of course conservation is not meant to cover the annoying and disgusting creatures – after all, rats are living creatures too, but nobody is suggesting leaving food parcels out for them.
The main wildlife area of the City is the River Thames, which is the City’s southern boundary. In the square mile itself, the City’s gardens make up most of the potential wildlife habitats, although the sheer number of City workers having their sandwiches makes these impossible for most animals and birds during the day. There are some lovely little gardens, like ‘The Postman’s Garden’, in St Martins-le-Grand, just past the Museum of London, which was apparently created for postmen to rest their sacks when working at the main Post Office nearby. You should visit it. There are many churchyards and burial grounds, like Bunhill Row just up the road where Bunyan, Blake and Defoe repose, also well worth a stroll on a Sunday afternoon. Churchyards form a valuable habitat all of their own for lichens and mosses. Read all about the City's magnificent gardens at www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/openspaces.
