Here is the news report about the Leather Lane Oak trees released today (approx. 4 mins in). Please give it a watch!
It was a wonderful turnout with over 75 local residents at the scene clapping and “tooting their salute” to the stunning Veteran oak trees.
Please bear in mind that this report is not completely accurate- the bird boxes in the trees were NOT set up by activists as an “orchestrated campaign to frustrate the works”. This was obviously an excuse to clear up getting caught red-handed in the clip where a worker admits to finding a box with “a ball of moss” in, indicating nesting activity.
Also HS2 mention that the floodlights being used for their nighttime work is to prevent their staff from “being abused by activists” and that the felling of trees is NOT for temporary work.
All activists have been completely respectful and peaceful when evicted (I have personal footage of this as evidence). On the day of the eviction, activists were caught off-guard at 6am on a wet and windy day last week and decided to stay on the ground rather than in the trees where it could, potentially, be dangerous.
We also have evidence of where the haulage site is planned to be and exactly where the train line will be according to the HS2 map. This clarifies the amount of unnecessary so-called “vegetation” and trees due to be felled by the organisation in the coming weeks. The impact on wildlife will be devastating.
We ARE making a difference and being listened to but we need to, now, make an even bigger appeal to Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO’s) who can bring awareness to the environmental crimes that are happening under the HS2 project. If we cannot save these oaks then, we cannot give the impression that we’ve given up. People need to bombard everyone they can and create an outcry for the crimes that HS2 are committing. We are witnessing wildlife crimes and no one is doing anything about it. The evidence can be seen on National Television as stated above! It doesn’t matter how the birds nests got up there; removing them from the trees is still a crime!
Since the last update on this petition, many people have contacted Natural England and the Bat Conservation Trust and we have found that these organisations are not responding to us with any real urgency. We must now reach out to non-biased, independent organisations (NGO’s) for help.
See below, a list of non-governmental organisations (people that work together to push environmental deals with the government) that could make a difference if we remain persistent with our actions. If anyone else knows any other NGO’s that people can contact, please share in the comments of this petition update or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.
RSPB
Tel: 01767 680551
Wildife Trust
Tel:01636 677711
Email: enquiry@wildlifetrusts.org
British Trust For Ornithology
Tel: 01842 750050
Email: info@bto.org
Link
Tel: 0203 855 4265
Email: enquiry@wcl.org.uk
Bat Conservation Trust
Tel: 03451300228
Email: nvestigations@bats.org.uk
Butterfly Conservation
Tel: 01929 400209
Email: info@butterfly-conservation.org
Mammal Society
Tel: 0238 0010981
Email: info@mammalsociety.org