Letter: This business about birds

Sir: It was sad to read G. M. Watkins's letter (15 October) suggesting that RSPB supporters should redirect their money to children's charities. Many of the RSPB supporters I know already give more money to people-centred charities than they do to the RSPB.

The amount involved, approaching pounds 28m, sounds a lot but would not make a great deal of difference to the welfare of needy children. However, the loss of this resource to conservation would make an enormous difference to a wide range of habitats and so to the world we all inhabit - not just that of the birds.

What the environmental charities are trying to do is to slow down the degradation of our environment. While the RSPB is able to draw a lot of support because birds are so attractive, it is, like its partners, finding its income falling in the continuing recession. It is distorted reasoning to suggest that, because there is a problem with our failure to care for some children, it should be solved by persuading people to change their choice of charities.

Yours faithfully,

MICHAEL TAYLOR

Logiealmond, Perthshire