MASSIVE UPDATE:
I HAVE GOOD NEWS!!!
Hello all,
Sorry for the radio silence but I have been waiting for some great news about some furry friends to share with you. We had to wait until the temperature increased just enough for them to wake from hibernation....
Through the support of all the wonderful people who have donated to our crowdfunding, we have been able to use some of the funding to hire a thermal camera which has enabled us to detect and take thermal imaging of bats that have emerged this week from the oaks in Leather Lane to feed and fly around the trees, despite the floodlights and generators. And wow! Did they fly !!!! 112 active recordings in one bat-watch session and the height of their season hasn’t even started yet! Hoorah!
PLEASE SHARE THIS PETITION FURTHER and the CROWDFUNDING link (details below).
***DO NOT DONATE ANY MONEY TO CHANGE.ORG-USE LINK BELOW INSTEAD***
WE URGENTLY NEED MORE SUPPORT to HELP SAVE the HABITAT of these BATS.
LOVE LEATHER LANE OAKS for them.
WE NEED funding for expert surveys, equipment and reports and legal fees.
If everyone donated 50 pence, we would be able to cover all these expenses.
Our neighbours, Jim Ashton and Agnieszka Lukasiewicz also used bat detecting sound equipment to identify the exact location, breed and flight pattern of each bat detected.
This is vital information for our legal fight against the felling of these trees as it shows evidence that Leather Lane is a major feeding site for bats in the local area; particularly with the recent loss of so many other natural feeding habitats and trees within their flight zones in the area, such as Jones Hill Woods.
If HS2 would re-route the proposed ‘over-road’, Leather Lane Oaks could be left untouched to continue to provide a natural feeding and breeding habitat for a large number of bats from a wide area.
Please see Jim and Agnieszka’s report on the discovery of the bats on Leather Lane here:
‘On 19 April 2021 a detailed bat survey was conducted along Leather Lane using an Echo Meter Touch 2 bat detector and Guide TrackIR Pro 19 thermal imaging monocular. The survey focused on the part of Leather Lane mostly affected by HS2 operations and awaiting further ‘vegetation clearance’ subject to the outcome of the EKFB review (pending). Three trees were already felled at the location on 16 March 2021.
Over a short period of 1 hour 10 minutes (between 8:28:58pm and 9:39:40pm) 112 recordings of bat echolocation sound were taken. Species present were Common Pipistrelle and Nathusius’ Pipistrelle. A number of thermal imaging videos were additionally recorded, showing bat activity (individually and in groups of up to 3) along Leather Lane: over the lane itself, the tree canopies and adjacent fields.
The survey was conducted in relatively cold weather conditions (13 degrees Celcius) and much more activity could certainly be expected in warmer weather later in the spring and over the summer months.
Natural England states that they have not issued any bat licences to HS2 for works along Leather Lane. Clearly Leather Lane is an important bat habitat.’
The survey was conducted by Jim Ashton and Agnieszka Lukasiewicz of Wild Horizons Limited (a professional rewilding and conservation company), both concerned residents by Leather Lane.
You can also find the Wild Horizons tweet here as Jim and Agnieszka record their discovery on Leather Lane: https://twitter.com/WildHorizons_/status/1385344318135799812
With this news in mind, remember we wouldn’t have gotten this far without your help in donating to our crowdfunding. However, the majority of supporters on here who have shown their love for Leather Lane, still haven’t donated anything! Please, please donate now and if you would like to donate less than £5 or would prefer to send it to me directly, my paypal is either @blaizeoc or my email: blaizeocallaghan@yahoo.com
donate here: https://gofund.me/386aafa8
*all money is accountable and receipts can also be sent via email under request. The accounts will be shared at the end of the campaign and every penny will be used to help our legal fight to save Leather Lane Oaks, Jones Hill Woods and all trees and woodland habitats being destroyed by HS2.
P.S- We are also currently investigating other aspects of the work by HS2 at Leather Lane at the moment. I cannot share the details of this just yet but will update you all ASAP!
Blaize x
#saveleatherlaneoaks
LOVE LEATHER LANE