Public Space Protection Orders
-the-toad-patrols-of-britain NY Times Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) are intended to deal with nuisance or anti-social behaviour in a particular area that is detrimental to the local community's quality of life. Just before Xmas I was walking along the towpath by Ham Lands and saw someone sawing branches off a tree I know to be a native black poplar and one of only ~7,000 in the country. I thought twice about challenging that person, but later contacted Richmond council who said, 'We have a PSPO order for that', and 'We can even emphasise the point about dead/standing/fallen/living wood being protected - especially native black poplar as it shouldn't be used for firewood - by putting additional signage up to remind people'. Richmond Council have an eleven page document on PSPO orders ranging from forbidding picnicing or damaging plants and trees to feeding animals and causing nuisance through attracting vermin, ride a horse in a restricted area;...