Yesterday saw me back on my old stomping grounds in north Cardiff and along the way I popped in briefly to the new section of Cathays Cemetery. Although both the old and new sections of this huge cemetery are recognised hotspots for fungi and enjoy SSSI designation, the council chooses to ignore recommendations for the site’s management and so I have noted that with each passing year the quantity and diversity of fungi has declined. Though I didn’t linger long yesterday (it’s depressing to see the sparsity where once there was abundance), I did manage to find a single Parrot waxcap, saved from the strimmer’s plastic blade by its location between two old gravestones, stunning in its solitary beauty. If only this Parrot could scream ‘Save us!’ … but would anyone be listening?

p.s. I have previously approached the council about their management of these places but, as is typical when I try to communicate reasonably with the various local authorities, their responses contain mostly excuses for their actions. They will not listen to the Parrot!