North of Rawcliffe Meadows Nature Park, and south of the Rawcliffe Bar Country Park, is an arable field, with field gates at either side and signs saying No Public Access.

This field is the remnant of arable land that existed before the Park&Ride site was built, and is there to provide nesting for some of the nation's increasingly rare birds, such as skylark and grey partridge. It also provides feeding ground for the flocks of linnets, finches and tree sparrows that inhabit the copse on Rawcliffe Meadows.

Skylark and partridge are ground nesters, and establish themselves in the cornfield stubble quite early on in the spring. If people ignore the signs and take their dogs through, they won't nest.

If people walk through there is also a chance that they will tread upon the nests, eggs or young.

This is an arable field. It spends much of the year growing crops that walkers will trample, but the crops are also sprayed and otherwise managed. Why people in Rawcliffe and Clifton think they are immune to such things astonishes me.

Walkers around the city may risk getting their feet damp or muddy at the moment, but will they please observe notices or signs that are there to assist with site management and protect wildlife - ignoring them only makes life hard for the inhabitants and their voluntary protectors.

Mick Phythian, Chair, York Natural Environment Trust, Monkton Road, York.