I congratulate the Friends of St Nicholas' Fields for being chosen as a case study by the Government (March 14).

However, as chair of York Natural Environment Trust, which was founded nearly 20 years ago to save sites such as this, I must correct a point.

John Brierly describes the site at the outset as a "disused rubbish tip where rats ran among the rubbish". This vastly differs from my recollection as one of those who spent time in the late 1980s planting additional shrubs on the site to make it even more attractive.

The site then had a good range of flora and fauna having become naturalised, and had not been used for tipping for many years. It was only when the council put a thick layer of clay over it that this flora was lost.

If the site had fitted John's description I doubt whether we would have organised public walks, carried out planting and campaigned vigorously against strong council opposition so that part of it was eventually left as a park.

The site is one of a number around York being managed by the community, all with differing aspects, including Danesmead Meadow, Mayfields and Rawcliffe Meadows. All of these need local involvement and interest to keep green spaces for residents, visitors and wildlife and it is only vigorous campaigning that secures them in the first place.

Mick Phythian,

Chair, York Natural Environment Trust,

Monkton Road, York.

Updated: 09:33 Wednesday, March 16, 2005