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To: Andrew Stephenson, Minister for Transport

URGENTLY SUSPEND FELLING AT JONES HILL WOODS

Suspend Felling at Jones Hill Wood until outcome of legal proceedings.

Why is this important?

The ancient and beautiful Jones’ Hill Wood in Buckinghamshire is being felled as we write. We have a legal case awaiting hearing, but each minute is precious and trees are still being felled.

HS2 entered Jones Hill back in October 2020, with intention to fell without surveys, let alone a licence from Natural England. Earth Protectors and Ecologists on the ground had been surveying the woods and identified several bat species, including the endangered barbastelle bat. Over the past 6 months, the team has been represented by Lawyers and supported by the Woodland Trust to hold both Natural England and HS2 to account and to ensure that adequate surveys were carried out and that Natural England fulfilled its Statutory role to protect the natural environment by issuing a well-considered licence that would protect the barbastelle bats in particular and ensure their conservation. Despite constant scrutiny, Natural England have now issued a licence to destroy bat roosts on tenuous grounds. The mitigation put forward by HS2 for the loss of habitats for the barbastelle and other families of bats were on flimsy and highly questionable grounds.

We believe that Natural England has failed in its statutory duty and that the needs of barbastelle families are nowhere near being met by the compensation proposed. As such we have resorted to the Courts to initiate legal proceedings and hold them to account. However, legal action takes time. This is time the trees and the creatures they home do not have. HS2 continue to fell and seem adamant to destroy what they can before they can be stopped by the law. Another minute, another tree felled.

We the undersigned, on behalf of the endangered barbastelle refuges, plead that you pause all felling of this irreplaceable natural assets and rethink, with an open mind, the other options available to you and certainly do the right thing and HALT ALL FELLING UNTIL THIS CASE IS HEARD.

This issue is important, not just for the barbastelle bats at Jones Hill Woods but for all other endangered species of wildlife that are under threat from construction projects. We need to hold Natural England to account and make sure the law is enforced to protect all wildlife that is meant to protect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P87YldhTQ0c

Wendover, Aylesbury, UK

Maps © Stamen; Data © OSM and contributors, ODbL

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Updates

2021-04-15 13:22:25 +0100

We are in court! Please support our Crowdfunding Campaign, thank you!
https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/protect-jones-hill-wood-from-h/

2021-04-15 10:09:02 +0100

5,000 signatures reached

2021-04-14 13:23:05 +0100

EMAIL ANDREW STEPHENSON AT [email protected]

DEMAND that he halts felling at Jones’ Hill Wood until the court case is fully heard. Keep the email concise and personal. You can include the following information:
Natural England has issued a license to kill despite a clear lack of sufficient wildlife surveys and mitigation measures needed to ensure the Favourable Conservation Status of protected species including barbastelle bats (present at the woodland).
Felling and destruction of evidence of potential wildlife crime is happening at an unprecedented rate, with felled trees being put into the wood chipper almost immediately after being cut down.
Earth Protectors on site defending the woodland have been facing unjustified intimidation tactics and violent behaviour from HS2 workers and contractor firms.
Most importantly, express how you feel about the heartless destruction taking place right now. Ask that it is STOPPED IMMEDIATELY

2021-04-13 20:58:35 +0100

1,000 signatures reached

2021-04-13 19:22:45 +0100

500 signatures reached

2021-04-13 17:51:57 +0100

100 signatures reached

2021-04-13 17:28:14 +0100

50 signatures reached

2021-04-13 17:06:01 +0100

25 signatures reached

2021-04-13 16:47:36 +0100

10 signatures reached