environment

The Tree of Life

September 29, 2021

 

I am drawn to protests – I find them exhilarating; they form community, develop camaraderie, give meaning and purpose, but most importantly, they give us hope.

Over the years, I have been involved with many environmental protection camps and you need not have visited such places to know what lies at the heart of this agenda. With populist slogans like ‘save the trees’ emblazoned from post to post, to the environmental protester, trees are known to be the single most important, sacred and prized natural feature of our land, and rightly so. Owing to their impressive repertoire, including oxygen givers, erosion protectors, shade and habitat providers: - trees play one of the most fundamental parts of our ecosystem and must be protected at all costs.

Welcome the environmental protester:- valiant protector of our natural world, risking life and livelihood in this saintly pursuit. Unfortunately, there are a great number of folk who would fail to share this view and it’s not hard to understand why. Because let’s face it, despite centuries of uprising, nothing has been able to stop the steady increase in social and environmental issues. So much so, that when we consider the actual successes that environmental protection has offered, it has undoubtedly become a game of small wins and big losses and never was a true word said.

Of the protest camps that I’ve ‘knocked about’ in – a common sight amongst the security guards, the mud and ‘people up trees’, is that these camps are largely inhabited by folk happily whiling away the long under-stimulated hours somewhere up in a cloud of smoke. Smokers of all types, including those claiming to be of the ‘medicinal’ green variety. In fact it is such a common sight, there is absolutely nothing of any particular interest, until you start to deeply ponder upon it’s parallels and then you might begin to see something rather very wrong.

Because you see, there is no one who can really disagree with the fact that smoke inhalation of any sort is one of the most self-destructive and dangerous activities that we can knowingly impose on our bodies today. This toxic substance, starves the body of oxygen, directly targeting and damaging the lungs – who are the very oxygen givers of our bodies, and whose primary function is really no different to that of a tree. The very root of what many protesters are on one hand externally seeking so hard to save, while internally allowing it’s continued destruction.

This is the great delusion of separation, the lack of understanding that the very life giving instruments that we are trying so hard to protect are also right here within us. The most important tree that we can only truly offer any protection lies much forgotten, while our focus remains firmly fixed outside of ourselves. This failure to acknowledge our bodies also as part of the great magnificence of nature:- the co-dependence between the respiration of our lungs and the respiration of a tree, each bringing the other life is perhaps on one level a product of why environmental protesting continues to fail. Because how can we convince government and multi-nationals to care for nature when the truth is we care even less for our own.

People are drawn to environmental activism for many reasons and knowingly but more often unknowingly, ‘nature’ may not always be at the heart of this agenda. But whatever the reason, we are here for the most worthy cause of all – because we want change. We live in a culture of diminished responsibility, casting assertions and laying blame on all but ourselves. But when we consider change, we must first ask ourselves what is it within us that we can change first. Because nothings changes if no one changes so then what better place to start, than where the success is in our own hands.

‘Be the change you want to see in the world’ Ghandi.

 

 

environment

The Court Room Conclusion

October 13, 2020

 

Nine months in the making and my ‘big day in court’, had finally arrived. I had been forced into spending these last crucial weeks without a working phone, and with no access to XR legal advice, the stress had begun to mount. As I counted down the hours until 'show time', I had an all important decision still to make. Would I chance self-representation in court, or accept the legal help from solicitors that I was entitled?

I knew that my novice legal skills were not up to running much of a S14 (Section 14) defence. But the reality was, that I had heard there was no successful defence against this charge. Part of me delighted at the thought of self-representation. Single handedly, bravely battling the system, standing alone in righteousness. I had earned this ticket to my day in court and like other XR defendants before me, this was my moment to finally be heard. Oh how I would put the courts to shame, throwing every moral and ethical argument out there in defence of my selfless actions. How the judge and officials would weep in realisation of the ills of society and throw down their hats in condemnation, to stand with me in solidarity. I would declare my position regarding environmental and ecological collapse, and in full glory, I would proclaim the innocence of my name! This was going to be the day that went down in history.

It can be a very dark and bumpy ride, questioning the many thoughts and ideas in the mind of Black Cat... and as I delved deeper into the inner workings of my fancies, I started to ponder the ethical arguments of accepting assistance from the very government establishments and institutions that I was opposed! But finally, after seeking some last minute common-sensical advice, I decided that I would afterall take up my lawyers on their offer of legal assistance. Maybe I would win on a technicality? Or If all else failed, at the end of the day, I could always sack my lawyer and give the courts a fine piece of my mind anyway.

That night I prepared my statement with vigour. Eco this and shame on you perpetrators that. But in the end, it didn’t end up quite the courtroom showdown that I had expected. The law came to judge me in a way that I never could have imagined.

I first met my lawyer on the morning of my trial. With no time to spare, we headed straight to a private room to catch a quick twenty minutes on how we were going to proceed. As I read to her my statement that I had prepared the night before, the enormity of the situation struck for the first time, causing an intense feeling of overwhelming sadness. The court house, despite appearing quite stark and unassuming, carried within it’s walls a foreboding and looming presence. This was a presence that had absorbed countless impressions and stories throughout the ages and it suddenly drew from me the incomprehensible frustration, that the law that I’d always believed in, to protect the great and the good, could instead take those very people and destroy their lives, holding them to criminal account forever. Then I started to cry (just a little bit), at the injustice of it all.

After a quick briefing to prepare for the witness box, we hastily made our way into court.

‘COURT RISE’. I was captivated…. who was my judge going to be? and then out came not one but three lay magistrates! I studied each of their faces closely. I could not have expected to see a crowd of more serious and stern looking expressions. Each of them bearing a tight-lipped frown with furrowed and knitted brows. They sure looked like they meant business and I was quite taken by them, captivated and fascinated in some way. I turned to my friend, “wow they look so serious”, I said. “I think they look a bit like me when I get upset”, “That’s how I’m going to look in ten years time,” I foolishly joked.

Throughout my trial, I was in complete awe of my Lawyer. What an incredible person she was. I had nothing but admiration and gratitude for her as she spoke for me with such strength and eloquence. Despite fearing I had messed up a bit in the witness box, I was quietly confident that I had made a good impression upon the magistrates. I had explained my motivations, my lifestyle, my passions and service to the community. Heck, we were even hopeful that we would win out on a technicality after all.

I actually felt quite uplifted during the deliberation. Because of my lifestyle choices, a conviction would not prove so impactful upon my life, and I felt comforted in the knowledge that of all the court testimonials I had read, they resonated to the same effect. Judges speaking highly of environmental activism and XR defendants merely acting out of necessity and in line with their conscience. I had also heard heart warming stories where activists had been told they were being found guilty with much regret, in the eyes of the law there being no way out, and ordered the most minimal of fines in full praise and goodwill.

I was excited when my three lay magistrates returned. I was fully expecting to hear the same praise for my actions, why wouldn’t I? An exemplary citizen to all outward respects. But to my surprise, I mercilessly began to hear…. Because you said this, and this, and this, ‘GUILTY’. I was ordered to pay full costs of £640 and given nine month unconditional discharge. I was speechless. I couldn’t even bring myself to read out my mega amazing, ‘I’m such a great person’ speech I had prepared.

I left the court room in disbelief, frustrated at not being fully heard, I was disappointed that no sympathies had been aroused in my judgement, nor any good seen in my deeds, none at all. I thought back to my three lay magistrates and how fearsome they looked. How they had failed to accept the reason and logic of the facts. The evidence the police had presented against me had been so unclear that a conviction should never have been possible. But in judgement of what they had wanted to understand, they had discounted it all, failing to see the person behind it.

In the days that followed, as I tried to understand and make sense of my experience, I happened across a text and in those words I found my answer, appearing in the ‘law of three’.

*“Ever mind the law of three, What You Send Out Comes Back to Thee.” and I started to see a part of myself though the eyes of those who sat in judgement and I too began to see a person guilty. Guilty of being quick to judge others, harsh in my words, unsympathetic, cutting and direct in my approach.

I have come to accept that this wasn’t the day I was going to be a hero. This was the day I was judged by my three lay magistrates in accordance with the “law of three”, judging me as I have judged others. My lawyer asked me to go for a retrial…but I feel that until I have learned this lesson there can be no salvation. It’s a hard road, and I know I am still learning from my mistakes. I am not there yet and for me this will probably be a life long practice, to cultivate compassion, forgiveness, and understanding in every moment and to all.

*The law of three states, everything you do comes back to you threefold! So please be wise and think about your actions and how they will effect others and even yourself.

 

environment

The Truth Behind HS2 - Memoirs of a protest

February 21, 2019


For Beth,

‘The Truth Behind HS2’, is the title of a short documentary I was writing while living at the HS2 protest camp. The idea came when a camp supporter, ‘Dwight Rabbit’ wanted to create a film on the reality of HS2 and asked if I could provide the narrative. Although I left camp before the documentary was complete. I have used this work to reflect on my personal experiences during this time.

Dwight Rabbit is currently working on ‘The Seedling Project’. You can find out more about his current work at https://www.facebook.com/TheSeedlingProject.UK/


Whilst facing one of the hardest winters in 30 years we can no longer deny climate change. Species extinction is happening at a phenomenal rate and environmental disaster is approaching. We can’t escape the constant reminder that we are consuming too much and polluting each and every corner of our natural world. It appears humanity has taken a nose-dive and hope no longer lies in this elected government, so who do we turn to?


My name is Black Cat and I’ll be taking you through my journey… waking up to the modern-day tragedy of apathy and finding the courage to stand up, because to give up is the end.


In October 2017, I said farewell to my friends and family to explore community living here in the UK. While ‘on the road’, I heard of a protest camp against the development of a new high-speed train line called 'HS2'. Despite not knowing anything about protest camps or HS2, I decided to go along for a few weeks before flying south for the winter. But what initially began as a two week stop over, ended up becoming a longer-term undertaking. As for the first time in my life ever, I joined an exciting movement for social justice, environmental and political change.


On the 14th of November 2017. On what felt like the coldest autumn day since I had started my travels, I set off for the Colne Valley protest. I had camped in cold weather before, but this was a bitter bone shaking cold and I wondered if I would last out the week.


                       


When I arrived at camp, flags and banners were a-blaze. Messages of ‘Save our Nature Reserves’ and ‘Wildlife Crimes’, were hung high, rippling in the trees. It certainly looked like the environmental protest I had imagined, and I fully expected to find a ‘hippy eco warrior’ clinging to a tree. But when I came to meet the protesters for the first time, I was in for a surprise. Here were a group of unextraordinary, pleasant looking folk drinking tea around the camp fire, and I couldn’t help but think, there was more going on here than first meets the eye.


                                         


The drifting hippies were actually local people from all walks of life. One camp member and full-time resident had been campaigning against HS2 environmental damage for several years, while her passenger boat business was likely to suffer too. Other protesters resided in the local mariner, where construction works were also set to wreak havoc. The stereotypes I had in my mind were quickly fading. The reality was, this was a gathering of the concerned community, who were coming together to protect a land and life they loved, because HS2 threatened to take it all.


                                         


Before arriving at the protest camp, I was certain I wouldn’t be involved in any direct action. Afterall, I was only looking for somewhere to camp for a few weeks, and the image of the angry protester shouting and shaking their fist, was enough to put me off! I had decided to stay well away from that and had in mind a more romantic image of spending my time playing protest songs on the guitar.


But that idea soon faded when I was introduced to ‘the office’! because inside a large multifunctional tent, there was an exciting world of ‘behind the scenes’ protesting going on. There was paperwork and emails, legislations to read, charities to contact, petitions to work on, social media to update, and suddenly, this was starting to look like, ‘my kind of protest!’


As the days passed, I got to know more and more about the enormity of what was happening, and the list was quite extensive. Loss of habitat, endangerment of protected species, the effects on air pollution and water quality and all this was happening inside of a nature reserve! I could see that the need to save Colne Valley was of high importance, but the democratic means I was working on had all been engaged in previous years to no real avail. Sadly, the reality we all know is that money talks, and in applying this principle, the Colne Valley action camp had other ways of catching HS2’s attention.


I would watch in admiration as my fellow protestors would bravely set about climbing diggers and blocking entrance gates. Direct action was certainly making its impact, but although I had come to know the magnitude of what they were standing for and while I believed in them every-one bit. I remained firmly stuck to my resolve – “direct action is not for me".

                                         


Then one day, a few weeks after my arrival, Jonathon Bartley, the coleader of the Green Party came to visit and with him came the BBC.


That evening we made the 6 o’clock news, and oh what fun it was to see us all on the telly. But what really caught my attention was when I heard Jonathon Bartley’s interview for the first time. “When local people have been side-lined, when it seems councils have been bought off with government money, absolutely is right that local people should take direct action”! My heart lifted, and I finally felt relief. Hearing this level of validation being pledged from a reputable political party, who were saying, ‘yes, we fully support this protest’, became the reassurance that I needed.


                                     


Jonathon Bartley’s words became a turning point for me, and I embraced direct action as if a switch had turned. Before I knew it, I was scaling fences and occupying entrance gates, and we were pretty successful at it. But rather than engage us in talks, HS2 decided to retaliate with one last barrier that governments and multinationals like to hide behind, ‘criminalisation’. Because the law is designed to work for them not us.


All my life I had been, like most others, a fearful law-abiding citizen. But since I believed it was right to protesting HS2 on moral and ethical grounds, I was fully prepared to stand for my actions. Now the unfortunate thing is, with the police force firmly at the beck and call of the ‘powers that be’, the actions of a protester will easily fall onto the wrong side of the law and I was deeply saddened at the level of policing I saw. Wrongful arrests, threats, deceitful and coercive tactics, were all a betrayal of the justice system that I had once believed in. This manipulation and miss-use of the law, to protect an otherwise unlawful project, broke my faith in the justice system, and in the words of Jonathon Bartley, summoned with every being in my body, ‘it absolutely was right to protest’.


                                                


We spent a lot of time connecting with the local community, which greatly helped us build new relationships and networks. We always said, ‘if we were going to save Colne Valley, we needed everyone to come together’! I also had my own personal quest. In my early days, I had arrived at camp full of misconception of what a protest might be and who I would find there. When I later discovered that the media image was a far-stretched fantasy, I wanted to end this disservice and help to change the way protesting is seen. I hoped that by going into the community, people would get to know who we really were. People just like you (and me)!


While most people were in support of stopping HS2, there were others who held a different view. Some were hostile and angry towards us, some were indifferent, some had long given up and though it was time we went home too.


The anger often came from passing cars, they really liked to tell us (shout at us) to ‘get a job’. This was always a surprise to hear, because of course, my understanding was, that we were doing a job. Unfortunately, prejudice becomes common place when jobless is a ‘dirty word’, and at the side of the road, we were an easy target. In all fairness most people driving past may not have had any idea what was happening on camp. To many, we must have looked bonkers, thinking we were stopping HS2 by sitting around a camp fire and drinking a rather fine amount of tea! But it wasn’t all work and no play.


The indifference people felt was above all the hardest thing to accept. How was it possible when living with HS2 on your doorstep? Be it the ludicrous costs, or the removal of ancient woodland, surely there was something for everyone to dislike. But as the story goes, the communities here had been chasing HS2 through parliament petition after petition for +7 years, finally in 2017, the project was granted royal assent, leaving this extraordinary effort to amount to nothing. It seemed that the resignation of feeling for many was to either accept what was happening or to ignore it. I resonated with a different emotion. I had arrived here knowing I would be part of this community only for a finite time. I knew HS2 wasn’t changing my way of life and I didn’t have to forever live with the consequences. But every day I did meet the people whose homes and livelihoods would be destroyed. Every day I was moved by their plight and I was fully determined to help.


                                        


One particularly wintery December weekend, while holding onto a pink fluffy hot water bottle for warmth, I was arrested and taken away on suspicion of blocking the highway. Eight hours, a vegan chili and three cups of tea later, I was released without charge, although given the plummeting temperatures, I wouldn’t have said no to spending the weekend in the nick! But there was worse to come. One morning out of nowhere, a team of law enforcement agents arrived on camp with thick bundles of legal papers. HS2 were seeking an injunction, and seven named defendants, (I being number five) were being taken to the high court!


It was a terribly stressful time for us. HS2 were after damages, court costs, and a camp eviction while we couldn’t even cover the costs for a solicitor between us. We spent weeks tangled up in a mountain of paperwork trying our best to decipher the legal jargon in the evidence we were given. The injustice of the situation was hard for anyone to believe. This multi-billion-pound project with access to public money had forced seven protesters to the high court. HS2 were able to enlist top international solicitors, Evershed and Sutherland to take the case with months of compiled paperwork, whilst us defendants had little financial option, but to represent ourselves in court. Talk about the upper hand! We would have loved to take the government and HS2 to court, but of course for us the funding does not exist. The good news was that on the day, Mr Justice Barling the high court judge appeared to recognise the importance of our efforts and saw fit to safe guard the camp against eviction whilst negotiating costs back to HS2, but all the same the injunction was granted.


                                        


What people find interesting is that I am a (retired) Engineer. I worked for many years on controversial oil and gas construction-based jobs and even spent 10 months on a job site in my own overalls and high-vis jacket! Because of this background, it’s been easy for me to relate to the HS2 workforce, after all, it’s only been 3 years since I was on the other side of the fence, working for the other guy! I’ve tried to approach protesting with compassion because I remember how I felt when I was in the system. I thought my job and my comforts were the accomplishment of life. Ultimately, what will stop HS2 will be an inner change in people’s mindsets, then their jobs will naturally follow. It’s not something you can force anyone else to do, however much anger you want to take out on someone, or guilt you try and make someone feel. Change is a very personal journey; some people may find their way there now but for others it may take a lifetime.


Being part of this protest, has been one of the most enriching and treasured experiences of my life. Here, I met a group of people with exceptional courage, inspiration and selflessness, whom I will always be in gratitude.

In my six months at camp, I have learnt that protesting as an essential activity. Just the expression of protest, is as every bit as important as the outcome. Every right we have has been won, and by protesting we continue to set those limits. It is our greatest power. The simple fact that the camp is here, is a very positive statement. This powerful image continues to give the message, yes there is a spirit alive in England, and by providing people with ‘something’ to become part of, opens the way for others to unite. If as a result, if we managed to inspire just one person and set them off on their own journey to the truth, then to me that’s a job well done.


What I realise now is that, when you try at anything there is no such thing as losing because you will always win; in ways that you never would have imagined. I overcame my fears and developed the mental strength to live out the winter in a tent at the side of the road. In the company of environmentalists, I received an education into environmental law and ecology and thanks to the Hillingdon Green Party, I had a truly incredible experience running for local Council. But above all, I started writing. Writing to share the truth because the people are listening and the time when one day we will live in harmony will come.


Everyday people would tell me ‘but you know you’re not going to stop it don’t you?’ and every time I would react with the same surprise. Where does so much indifference and lack of self-belief come from? We need to start telling our children, yes, they CAN. BE. DO. ACHIEVE anything in life. Of course we can stop it, not me alone, but us together. Look at what a small group of people here managed to achieve. Yes, it’s going to be difficult to stop HS2 but even HS2 are starting to realise that its’ possible, because they know we think we can stop them, and if we think we can stop them.. well then, that’s when change starts to happen. It all begins with a positive thought…


Final Word


                                      


Sarah Green is a full-time resident and environmental campaigner residing at the Colne Valley wildlife protection camp. She is being taken to Uxbridge Magistrates Court on the 1st of April, charged with aggravated trespass. If she is found guilty, the injunction at Harvil road can be invoked with serious consequences. Sarah has been tirelessly campaigning for many years, for the protection of Colne Valley. With great risk and love she selflessly continues to put her life on hold, and on the line.

If you are able to support Sarah, a crowd fund page has been set up to help her raise money for the costs of the court proceedings.

https://l.messenger.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.crowdjustice.com%2Fcase%2Fprotect-londons-drinking-water%2F%3Futm_source%3Dbacker_social%26utm_campaign%3Dprotect-londons-drinking-water%26utm_reference%3D2efb11e1bbfdce45fda45f7f351cd835%26utm_medium%3DFacebook%26utm_content%3Dpost_pledge_page_flat_v1&h=AT0q-tpTWGXiUdwPSGOvOrtwoA4jW9naHzZk4aTZpJZfYbPF7F9OjKlI6T3-4GT_HNsXQ6W-Vc6NbLKBBcR_L9lKYhD3xVvrAgpbWCqlZrmHbfaaq5T4lRLXWrQlDYIU68zrIpZdtrZuR3pjtHw


Unfortunately, what is happening here at Colne Valley not only impacts London, it is a global issue which affects us all, no matter where we are from in the world. Please share this article so that we can reach out and make change happen.

environment

Local Elections

October 04, 2018


Johnathon Bartley (coleader of the Green Party) visits the camp, describing HS2 as ‘environmental vandalism’.
For the past seven years, HS2 has blighted local communities threatening to destroy homes, businesses and quality of life.  Over the years, countless local residents have come together to oppose HS2, but sadly in mid-2017, the project was granted Royal Assent and for many marked the end of a long and heart-breaking battle.
Hillingdon Green Party members were amongst those who had tirelessly campaigned. With their combined efforts taking them from the select committee review to giving evidence in the House of Lords. After exhausting these democratic processes, they have now moved to the front line at the Harefield Wildlife Protection Camp on Harvil Road, where they are recording and reporting environmental and construction concerns on a daily basis. And so far, they’ve been pretty successful at it, finding evidence of environmental mismanagement, directly resulting in a HS2 planning application being denied.
The Green Party had recently focusing their efforts in winning seats in the Council Elections, believing it to be an area where much more could be done. With Hillingdon Council now acting as an authorising authority with HS2, they believe measures needed to be put in place to protects residents from inevitable budgets cuts and project delays and green councillors would be sure to have brought in a much-needed balanced view to these decisions. 
The Green Party put in a commendable effort to this election campaign, with a record-breaking number of candidates running throughout the wards. Special emphasis was on Harefield and other areas greatly affected, but despite their tough campaign they failed to break the Tory stronghold. 
Sofia kazi, resident at the Wildlife Protection Camp and Ickenham candidate says 'The disappointment of the elections has run deep. This important avenue in the fight against HS2 would have brought fresh hope to the area'. 
 
 But undeterred by this setback, the Wildlife Protection Camp have resolved to continue in it's united mission, to leave no stone unturned and to do everything in its power to stop the continued destruction of HS2.


environment

A Vote for Change

October 02, 2018

I had the good fortune to spend a lot of time with the Hillingdon Green Party who heavily supported the Stop HS2 Wildlife Protection Camp. Be the change you want to see.





environment

Article - Tree Planting Mittigation

September 07, 2018


And now some good news the HS2 tree planting mitigation has just begun!  
For the millions of trees which will be cut down to pave the way for the notorious high-speed rail project, HS2 have pledged to replant 7 million. Crowders Nursery up in Yorkshire has been busy growing thousands of native species of oak, hornbeam and alder soon to be flourishing in Hillingdon in once empty fields. Wonderful news we cry, time to stop protesting and give HS2 a pat on the back!  Now I don’t consider myself an unreasonable person but sadly, delving beneath the surface of HS2’s famous statement ‘no net loss of biodiversity’ we uncover that the reality is not quite as it appears to be.
Tree planting at Dews Lane is one of several local sites for ecological mitigation. But what is surprising is that these young trees appear to have been rather densely packed together, easily noticeable when compared with the adjoining woodland. This planting density immediately raises questions to their growth and wellbeing, so my first port of call is to approach the HS2 help desk for more information, they said: At woodland ride edges (Dews Lane) 1m average centres are likely to be used with an anticipated tree planting density figure of 10,000 trees per hectare’.  
This density figure 10,000 trees per hectare is shocking to say in the least. HS2’s tree replacement programme at Dews Lane classifies this area as ordinary scrub land giving it little ecological importance. Habitats that are typically created for nature conservation would have a planting density of between 1100 – 1500 of trees per hectare and there is an enormous difference here.  When trees are planted it is common practice to plant more than would make it into adulthood as trees are routinely thinned  removing less desirable damaged trees, but when trees are planted at 1m spacings they will be increased competition for water nutrients and sunlight and it is certain that a very large percentage of these tress will have to be felled.
Colne Valley is a species rich nature reserve with a high ecological and conservation value and I question why HS2 are not prioritising and implementing the strictest mitigation measures for nature conservation. We can hazard a guess as to why HS2 have squeezed so many trees into such little space and my bet is, that it is just another exercise to report figures that look good on the table. To state that seven million trees will be planted sounds good to anyone but is grossly misleading when the expected survival rate is immediately halved at best making the reality of ‘no net loss of biodiversity’ into an increasing mockery. 
There is no compensation for the cutting down of mature trees especially our ancient woodland. We cannot mitigate for hundreds and hundreds of years of developing ecology, there is no such thing. Climate change is upon us right now and Colne Valley, known as the green lungs of London plays an important role in absorbing toxic air from heavily polluted London which remains in breach of European air quality laws. Air pollution is now a contributor in the deaths of nearly 10,000 people across the capital per year. Can we really afford to wait 50 years for a fraction of these trees to mature? Every effort for environmental preservation must be taken now.

environment

Article - Mud on the Road

September 07, 2018




Harvil Road is a busy road, home to several heavy industries bringing a constant stream of HGV’s (heavy goods vehicles) for much of the day. It is also a hospital road leading to a life-saving heart hospital in Harefield and well used by the other emergency services. Sadly, this road is notorious as an accident hotspot and fatalities have often prompted campaigners to request a reduction in speed limit. Road safety is of utmost concern to all who use it and should be especially so for the companies who share it.

Not everyone it appears does share this concern and protesters on Harvil Road have regularly witnessed breaches in road safety at the HS2 works entrance (North gate). Almost every day during the Winter, vehicles were seen leaving the compound trailing slippery mud along the road and yes it is still happening to this day. A dangerous activity as the reduction in surface friction causes wheels to lose surface grip and result in loss of vehicle control. Protesters have been documenting these incidents since last year and Louisa Ede, a local business woman has taken up the issue with Hillingdon Council she says, ‘In 2013 I was fined and shut down for a week when the council received a complaint of my vehicles leaving mud on the road. HS2 regularly leaves mud on Harvil road and far worse than in my experience, why is this continuing to happen?’

After raising the matter with the council, a road cleaning unit is now being intermittently deployed but protestors say this is hardly satisfactory when the mud is sometimes left for days on end. HS2 have stated in their own document, Draft Code of Conduct Practice, ‘appropriate wheel cleaning measures will be employed to prevent the transfer and accumulation of mud or other granular deposits on the highways.’ but HS2 are clearly failing to honour this commitment. There are many solutions available such as wheel washing facilities which other companies employ, and it seems unacceptable that so little has been done.

Another hazard frequently observed stems from the ‘illegal driveway’ created by HS2. This illegal driveway could never have obtained planning permission had HS2 been made to apply through the proper channels. On refusal of deliveries at the gate road safety logic would suggest allowing vehicles entry to turn around but they are forced to back out on the bend of the most dangerous part of Harvil road. HS2 security preferring to keep their gates firmly locked. Clearly there is room for improvement!

In addition to communications with Hillingdon Council, protesters have made HS2 well aware by raising these issues in the high court. Road safety evidence was served to HS2’s top international solicitors, Evershed and Sutherland, and witness statements containing evidence were also read out. Failing this the protestors have been directly requesting a road safety meeting with HS2 community liaison representative but four months later they are still waiting.

HS2 subcontractor Murphy ltd are proud to display their latest pledge as “considerate contractors” stating their compliance to certain codes such as ‘Respect the Community and Secure Everyone’s Safety’. But can it be possible to respect a community when the local people do not welcome or want this project; set to destroy their environment, houses and local businesses. And can they really be showing their intentions to ‘securing safety’ when these documented road safety issues have been left to continue?

If you have experienced any problems with HS2 road safety, we would like to hear from you. Come and visit us at the Wildlife Protection Camp on Harvil Road or email us at protectcolnevalley@gmail.com. ‘Local people coming together to stop the madness of HS2.’














environment

Article - Colne Valley 'its all about the water'.

September 07, 2018



Following a recent spate of heavy rain, we have seen the flood plain of the beautiful Colne Valley transform. Water levels in the lakes have risen and are overflowing their banks, the wet woodland has emerged in all its splendour, even the footpaths have pooled up into knee deep temporary ponds creating new spaces for water-birds to enjoy.

Sadly, the construction yard the other side of Harvil Road is a different story. In October - November last year, hundreds of trees were removed in advance of a gas pipeline diversion. These enabling works involved the building of a long and winding road through a once dense forest. Views from Harvil Road at the dog’s trust show part of the extent of the destruction as heavy machinery crushes and compacts the land daily.

Recently the heavy rain falls of March and April have begun to reveal the true impact of this changing landscape. Environmental Protestors on Harvil road have witnessed and documented torrents of mud/clay slurry streaming through the construction site. The runoff now makes its way to the roadside gutter however this stretch of drainage has long been heavily blocked despite Hillingdon Councils efforts to fix this. What appears to happen is this runoff is finding its way into Newyears Green Bourne stream, where it flows straight into the Mid Colne Valley and into Lake ‘Pit 2’. The environmental consequences of any contamination are yet to be seen.

Colne Valley sits upon the prestigious Mid-Chiltern chalk aquifer which provides a significant amount of London’s drinking water. This rain water would once have seeped down through the soil, find its way to the water table and help replenish our precious fresh water supply. But sadly, the direct consequence of building on a flood plain is that this water is now lost. HS2 are responsible for the mitigation and flood impact assessments but in our opinion very little information can be ascertained from this. Here we have begun to witness the implications of large scale construction without the proper planning permission that any local project would have had to have gone through and this is only the beginning of what is to come.

Committed environmentalist and resident at the Wildlife Protection Camp, Sarah Green says: ‘The ‘wet woodland is comparable to England’s rainforest. Colne Valley is the most diverse of London’s nature reserves with over 2000 species on record. During the heavy rains of April, the water in the canal changed to a copper brown colour. There is no natural explanation for this. I am in touch with the Environment Agency and will continue to monitor the situation closely’.

How HS2 plans to deal with the threat of flooding is of utmost importance. Residential properties, businesses and the flood plain meadows with many ground nesting water birds will all be at significant risk. The implications for an oversite to occur here would be beyond words. To enjoying a walk though Harefield Moor, it is highly noticeable that the grass is completely saturated. The water is held just under the surface by various moss and grasses and you would expect this to have been revealed in any basic risk assessment. There is a great deal at stake here and HS2 need to shape up or back out.

environment

Article - High Court Injunction

September 07, 2018



As you may be aware HS2 began works on their controversial project at Harvil Road North entrance in October 2017. The felling of hundreds of trees caught the attention of concerned local people who gained access to the land and captured footage of wildlife crimes taking place. Bats were seen to be flying overhead where tree felling was occurring, trees which may have been home to their bat roosts. This marked the beginning of the Wildlife Protection Camp on Harvil Road that has since been collecting and recording evidence of HS2’s detrimental environmental impact and holding them to account. 
Protesters have since argued that HS2 have not provided the correct ecological surveys for the current works. Is it possible that enabling works onto ancient irreplaceable woodland are allowed to take place without correct surveys or mitigation? Are UK environmental laws so weak? HS2 have stated their obligation to protect the flora or fauna if required to do so but are they looking to find it? Quite on the contrary they have been tearing the evidence down behind them. 
As construction continues, information to keep the Public informed is becoming more inaccessible. If you have ever tried to obtain any answers at the HS2 Help Desk good luck. It is this frustration that has been key in leading people to use peaceful direct action as a last resort. Protesters have been trying to halt the destruction because HS2 have failed to produce the proper planning permissions and the correct ecological surveys. Unfortunately after managing to attract the attention of HS2 bosses Protesters found they were not interested in providing any answers but attempted to silence them through legal action.
On Monday the 19th of February the Secretary of State for Transport and HS2 Ltd took 8 defendants to the High Court to serve an injunction preventing trespass and obstruction to vehicles. Many believe that the injunction was a cover to remove the camp from its current location as activities to capture environmental breeches were a thorn in HS2’s side. Or was it simply because active protesting is a continuing embarrassment to HS2 as it celebrates much public support from its prime location on the busy Harvil Road. Despite the injunction being awarded the Judge Mr Justice Barling praised the camps efforts as committed environmentalists deeming their actions as entirely laudable and saw fit to safeguard the camp from eviction through the order.
Despite the positive reassurances from the Judge the service of the injunction raises two major concerns. HS2 remains a hugely unpopular project which the public has been fighting though democratic means over many years. When that voice has remained unheard because it seems that government and multinationals have conspired together to push this project into force, what choice is left but to take direct action? To remove this last hope to make governments listen and instead to persecute, threaten bankruptcy and attempt to criminalise those who fight for social justice is clearly wrong.
Secondly now that the injunction is in place, HS2 have essentially secured themselves the rights to continue working safe in the knowledge that any wildlife breeches can go unchecked. It was raised in court that an independently appointed Wildlife Officer should be put in place to provide the necessary protection, however the Judge did not have the powers to grant that request. The power is now in the hands of the rich corporations who have essentially bought a law securing them secrecy and unaccountability.
To find a copy of the injunction, a trip down Harvil road will reveal the notices attached to fences, gates and various fields earmarked for development. Or further information can be found at https://hs2inhillingdon.commonplace.is/;
The Wildlife Protection Camp now plans to tackle HS2 at the root of the problem, local government. With 4 of its residents running for council on the 3rd of May they have hopes to bring a more fair and balanced view into the decision making for the local area.