Campaigns news

Tunnel vision threatens ancient woodland

26 July 2021

Highways England recently launched its latest consultation on the Lower Thames Crossing project, a road scheme that would connect Kent to Essex via a tunnel under the River Thames.

We have had significant concerns since the first public details of the scheme were released in 2016. Those concerns remain regarding the proposed impact on ancient woodland, veteran trees and our own Ashenbank Wood site. Several hectares of ancient woodland and 10 veteran trees are likely to be lost under the current proposals.

We want to make sure environmental impacts are at the forefront of conversations ahead of Highways England submitting its Development Consent Order to the Planning Inspectorate in late 2021/early 2022.

We’ll be setting up a form soon to make it easy for you to tell Highways England just how important ancient woodland is. Watch this space over the next few weeks. 

Thousands voice opposition to destruction of Grantham woodland

23 July 2021

Thank you to the thousands of you who wrote to Homes England to say its plans to remove up to 80% of the young woodland at Grantham Barracks were unacceptable.

Your words had a real impact and Homes England has come back to the negotiating table. We still believe a significant amount of the threatened woodland can be saved – watch this space for news in the coming weeks and months.

Petition for new nature target handed to Government 

7 July 2021

Today we handed a petition to Government Minister George Eustice with more than two hundred thousand signatures. Each one calls for a new and binding target to recover nature by 2030. Thank you to everyone who signed it. 

We’ve been working with more than 65 other charities to strengthen the Environment Bill and make it a legal requirement to reverse the downward trends seen throughout nature.  

The pressure on Government that we’ve created has already meant we’re a huge step closer to our aim and we’ve secured a new target for species. Sadly, it sets no deadline and leaves nature’s recovery to chance.  

There’s still time for Government to change it. Let’s hope it listens. We'll keep you updated.

Nearly 67,000 Lincolnshire trees at risk

17 June 2021

Plans for a new housing development in Grantham, Lincolnshire threaten young woodland that was planted as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations just 10 years ago. 

In the middle of a nature crisis, all developments should be designed to retain existing havens for wildlife. It’s a travesty that nearly 60 hectares of woodland planted by the community and Woodland Trust staff could be lost.

The proposals set a dangerous precedent. Join us and call on Homes England to review their plans for Grantham.

Government target for nature falls short

11 June 2021

This week the Government published the details of a new target for nature. It follows last month’s promise of a legally-binding target to halt the declines in nature we are seeing across England.

But the details, seen for the first time this week, fall short. The amendment to the Environment Bill fails to set a deadline for stopping nature’s free fall and instead aims to ‘further the objective’ of halting the declines.

This wording is important, and it’s not good enough. We must demand better. Sign the petition to call for nature's recovery by 2030. 

Scotland’s nature needs you

24 May 2021

Help us secure a new legally binding target for recovering Scotland’s nature. Tell the new Minister for the Environment, Màiri McAllan, why nature matters to you.

Scotland’s nature is unique and special. It plays an essential role in all of our lives, boosting health and wellbeing, cleaning our air and water and underpinning thousands of jobs. But nature is in trouble and it needs your help.

In Scotland, one in nine species is at risk of extinction and only 3% of native woodland is in good overall condition. We need legally binding targets for nature recovery in Scotland to change this and help nature recover and thrive.  

That’s why we’re supporting Scottish Environment LINK to show the new Environment Minister why nature matters. Join us by visiting https://www.fightforscotlandsnature.scot/action to send your message to Màiri McAllan. 

Government announcements are great news for nature

Don't miss opportunity to prioritise woods and trees this election

28 April 2021

The elections that will decide who will make up the Welsh and Scottish Parliaments and who will be Mayor in eight city regions are just one week away.

Every individual elected will have the power to set us on the right trajectory to tackle the climate and nature crises. Woods and trees are vital to address these crises and must be a priority for candidates.

Already we’ve seen many parties committing to ambitious policies for woods and trees. In the last few days before polls open on 6 May, we must push harder than ever for all parties and candidates to put native woods and trees at the heart of their campaigns.

If you live in Wales, Scotland or the following English mayoral city regions, email your candidates today!

• Cambridgeshire
• Greater Manchester
• Liverpool
• London
• Tees Valley
• West of England
• West Midlands
• West Yorkshire

Oxford to Cambridge Expressway cancelled

19 April 2021

We welcome the announcement that the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway has been cancelled. For now, 383 known ancient woods within 2km of the expressway route corridor are safe again.

The Government cancelled the project as it was no longer 'cost effective'. Working with the RSPB and Wildlife Trusts, we have long opposed the plans due to the potential environmental damage. It's disappointing that this wasn't acknowledged as a reason for the cancellation. We need to address and tackle the nature and climate emergencies. We can’t afford for the environment to play second fiddle to the economy any longer.

The expressway's cancellation is a big win, but the risks to nature from local road 'improvements' remain. They include plans for the A34 west of Oxford which could impact important sites for nature.

Action is needed on other development and infrastructure projects across the Growth Arc area too. We need to electrify the rail link and avoid damage to irreplaceable habitats.

There are important lessons to learn from the Expressway’s failure. Most importantly, all future plans for the Arc must have the environment at their heart.

Look out for an update on the current East West Rail route consultation soon.

Ancient woods saved from M4/A48 link road proposals

8 April 2021

Precious ancient woodlands and their wildlife are now safe from the threat of the M4 to A48 link road outside Cardiff.

In December 2020, many of you joined our campaign to reject four potential road options posed by Vale of Glamorgan Council. Their aim was to ease congestion and help future growth in the region, but the route options were a threat to seven irreplaceable ancient woods.

The Welsh Government has now decided not to fund the project under the new Wales Transport Strategy, Llwybr Newydd. The council will no longer pursue the link road plans, meaning all seven ancient woods are safe once more.

Thank you to everyone who took part in our campaign to protect these irreplaceable ancient woodlands. Special thanks to Vale Communities for Future Generations, the local community group that supported our campaign.

Celebrations

The scrapping of two controversial road schemes - Hereford Southern Link Road and the preferred western bypass route - saved several ancient woods and trees from damage and destruction. We're grateful to local campaigners who stood beside us to save them, and to the county council for the decision. Plans for an eastern bypass remain on the table - we'll be keeping a close eye on progress.

Six ancient woods near Cardiff are safe after M4-A48 link road plans were shelved. The project lost funding from the Welsh government under the Llwybr Newydd Transport Strategy as it didn't meet new criteria.

Influencing policy

Alongside many other organisations, we began campaigning for the upcoming Environment Bill to include a legally binding target for nature’s recovery. You joined us in urging MPs to attend the 26 January debate on the bill, and to support the amendment to put nature’s recovery into law. And thousands of you signed the petition calling for the bill to be as strong as possible. After the debate, Government announced a disappointing further delay to the bill. 

The latest on HS2 

In January, it was confirmed that HS2 Ltd must produce an annual report of its impact on ancient woodland. This was a result of our chair, Baroness Young, tabling an amendment to the HS2 Phase 2a Bill. The reporting will cover the whole HS2 route.

The HS2 Phase 2a Bill received royal assent in parliament in February, allowing works to begin on the project’s second phase. 

We kept up the fight to hold HS2 Ltd to account for its actions and prevent further unacceptable treatment of irreplaceable habitats and will continue to do so.

Celebrations

Several ancient woods were saved from Eastleigh Borough Council’s development proposals after residents' campaigning and our own objections.

Service station plans threatening Smithy Wood, by the M1 near Sheffield, were withdrawn. You made this possible after campaigning with us for six years.

After four years and thousands behind our campaign, the chosen route for the A27 Arundel bypass won't destroy any ancient woods. 

Liverpool’s Allerton Oak came 11th in the European Tree of the Year competition. We announced Tree of the Year 2020 winners in England, Wales and Scotland.

Influencing policy

The Agriculture Bill became law in November. Policy ambition must translate to action on the ground and we’ll keep pressing for schemes to support tree planting and natural regeneration.

Thousands of you took part in our England Tree Strategy campaign calling for strong targets to tackle climate change with woods and trees. Watch Zac Goldsmith’s response to your comments. 

You joined us in urging all four UK governments to increase native tree cover to fight climate change as part of the Big Climate Fightback.

Changes to England’s planning system threaten woods and trees. Over 9,600 of you responded to the public consultation through our campaign. More consultations will follow.

The Time is Now virtual lobby brought over 14,000 people together with 200+ MPs to talk about a healthy, green and fair recovery after coronavirus. What is a green recovery? Read our blog.

We worked with other conservation organisations to release the Nature’s Arc principles, calling on government and decision makers to put nature at the heart of the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Arc.

You joined us in droves to push for Government action as we launched the Emergency Tree Plan, our vision for how the UK can increase tree cover and tackle the nature and climate crises.

Defending woods from HS2

As work began along Phase 1, we continued to press Government to monitor HS2’s contractors, hold HS2 Ltd to account and investigate any breaches and wildlife crimes.

Our chair, Baroness Barbara Young, tabled two amendments to the High Speed Rail Phase 2a Bill in the House of Lords, including a request for HS2 to report regularly on impacts to ancient woods.

Our expert Luci Ryan helped shape evidence for Chris Packham’s legal fight against HS2. Heard in July, judges later rejected the case saying they gave the decision 'light scrutiny, as it was a government decision'.

Luci also gave evidence to the House of Lords Select Committee on HS2 Phase 2a after HS2 Ltd was unable to offer assurances on concerns we raised in 2019. The Committee published its report, asking HS2 Ltd to look again at sourcing UK and Irish sourced and grown trees. Watch Luci’s evidence on Parliamentlive.tv.

Ongoing cases 

A proposed link road from the M4 to the A48 near Cardiff threatens six ancient woods. The public consultation on route options ended in December, but they all impact woods. 

We opposed the proposed A62/A644 Link Road in West Yorkshire in 2019 - plans are now being revisited due to the impact on ancient woods.

Thousands joined us in telling Highways England that damaging irreplaceable habitats for the Lower Thames Crossing is unacceptable.