I am an Oakham resident deeply perturbed by the deteriorating wildlife conditions in our town. We are on the brink of losing three more trees, adding up to 26 invaluable trees from Brooke Road, which have been felled for the sake of road widening and housing developments. Appreciating the importance of development is crucial, but not at the cost of our ecosystem.

We demand that Rutland County Council and Burmor Construction take responsibility for the ecological damages they’ve caused and take immediate action to prevent the flood risk to the nearby houses. There may be no chance of stopping these trees from being felled, but we can hold the council and construction company accountable for not following proper procedures. No ecological mitigation report was undertaken for the roadworks area. No independent report from the Tree Officer. The council published a planning decision in 2022 stating new trees should be planted along the highway. When asked, they've said it's now been deemed not necessary, but no evidence has been published on the planning website of a report or new decision by the council. Despite alternative solutions being available, our Rutland County Council seems bent on implementing a recourse as drastic as discarding three more living pillars of our community.

Trees play a critical role in our local environment – a fact our governing body should pour more consideration into. According to Forestry England, a single mature oak can host hundreds of different species, including 284 species of insect, fungi, lichens, and mosses. It becomes clear then, that each tree we remove leads to a significant depletion in our local biodiversity.

Moreover, trees are integral for combating climate change and reducing carbon dioxide. The 26 trees in danger consume approximately 572kg of CO2 per annum collectively (source: Treezilla), which is an important contribution towards keeping Oakham's air clean.

Our appeal is not against progress, but rather against unnecessary damage to our environment. It is time for Rutland County Council to reassess their approach and explore alternative workable solutions.

I quote Rutland County Council’s SHELAA OAK04: "New development could provide an opportunity to create a more positive, softer edge to the town in this location and to increase wildlife/ecological/nature recovery/green infrastructure networks." How can covering a greenfield site, home to hares, deer, bats, and other wildlife, in housing achieve this objective? It would, in fact, do exactly the opposite.

Additionally, the Brooke is classified as a main river system, and all works surrounding it should consider potential flood risks. Branches have been dropped into the Brooke, which could cause blockages downstream, increasing the flood risk. The roots of the felled tree on the bank were part of the river bank's structure. With the tree cut down, the bank may collapse as the roots die, potentially causing flooding during heavy rain. The construction company is digging on top of the culvert. If the culvert collapses, it could pose an immediate flood risk to our homes and surroundings.

We demand that Rutland County Council and Burmor Construction take immediate action to repair the ecological damage and mitigate flood risks. Rutland County Council should replant double the number of trees cut down and improve conservation efforts in the town. Additionally, the council must follow the correct legislation in the future to prevent issues like this. Given that Rutland had a tree cover extent of 2009 hectares in 2000 and has lost 136 hectares of tree cover from 2001 to 2020, resulting in a 6.8% loss, it is imperative that more Tree Protection Orders be implemented to safeguard our remaining trees.

Remember, the future of Oakham's wildlife is not just a Council concern, it's a community one. Our collective voice can make an impact. Please sign this petition to stop the chopping down of trees along Brooke Road and help preserve our local biodiversity.