Roald Dahl Woods Protection Camp Fund

Please support Roald Dahl woods protection camp

Jones’ Hill Wood, the infamous home of Fantastic Mr Fox is once more up against the destructive greed of corporate development. This time the creatures of the wood are joined by a resilient band of human tree defenders, who have spent up to 6 months occupying the woods to ensure their protection. Any day now (beginning of August 2020) HS2 is expected to descend upon them, with the intention of decimating the woods and their surrounding fields, farms and hedgerows, but together there is still time to secure their protection.


What is HS2?

High Speed 2 (HS2) is the proposed new high speed railway, planned to be built in England, being funded by taxpayers across the UK. The proposals were made public in 2010, at the very end of the last Labour government, and the first phase is due to open in 2026. But it is over budget and behind schedule. What’s more, opposition to the project is continuing to increase, due to the poor economic case, the dire effects on the environment, and the multiple better ways of spending the money earmarked for HS2.*


HS2 is currently under development between London and Birmingham, 330 miles of new track will reduce commuting time by just 20 minutes & facilitate a £50 millionexpansion of Birmingham airport. In 2015 HS2 was costed at £56 billion. Now, 10 years since its conception, work has already cost £150 billion.HS2 is forecast to cost at least £250 billion, this equates to £8,000 per UK taxpayer. The British people were never consulted. The National Infrastructures and Projects Authority have rated HS2 as amber/red for the past 7 years. In2020this was downgraded to red, meaning its successful delivery is deemed ‘unachievable’.

Before Covid19 HS2 was a fundamentally bad project, in the light of Covid19 HS2 is a project the British people DO NOT NEED and CANNOT AFFORD.


What are the human impacts of HS2?

HS2 has seized over 900homes & 1,000+businesses through compulsory purchase, making it the largest land acquisition projectsince World War 2. Local people have suffered forced evictions, gag orders, life altering health conditions and even premature deaths from the stress inflicted on families who in some cases have occupied their lands for over 200 years. Over 60,000 bodies will be exhumedduring Phase 1 alone.


What are the environmental impacts of HS2?

HS2 is ecocide,bringing destruction to: 108ancient woodlands, 5Wildlife reserves of international importance, 693 Classified Wildlife Sites, 21Nature Reserves, 18Wildlife Trust Reserves. This impacts an irreplaceablediversity of wildlife, including rare speciesof bats, birds, mammals and insects. In many places HS2 expands 1/2 a mile in width, the majority of its 330 mile length and the associated destruction for access roads and temporary housing will be constructed from concrete. HS2 will never be carbon neutral, even after 120 yearsand is currently drilling besides the chalk aquifers on which Londons’s safe water supply depends.


Where are Roald Dahl Woods?

Nestled between Wendover and Great Missenden, in the rolling Oxfordshire countryside sits a beautiful woodland called Jones’ Hill Wood. Bordered by the farms of Mr Bogis, Bunce and Bean, the woodland is believed to have inspired Roald Dahl’s beloved story of Fantastic Mr Fox. Now, Mr Fox’s battle for survival is no longer fiction and instead depicts a reality of imminent threat. This Woodland is a unique, invaluable habitat for innumerable species of bats, birds, mammals and insects and critical to the health of the local ecosystem.

Jones’ Hill Wood provides habitat for numerous rare species, including: 7 species of bat, over 40 species of moth, kite, swift, kestrel and the rare ‘edible dormice’ glisglis, which were brought to the area during the Roman Occupation. This area is of great historical significance and is rich in Stone, Iron and Roman age sites, including the unique Iron Age wooden henge recently uncovered and concreted over by HS2. In defence of this invaluable habitat environmental protectors have moved in to occupy the woods, sacrificing their typical homes and livelihoods for the foreseeable future. Protectors face volatile and violent treatment from both HS2’s privately hired bailiffs and the police.


How will your donation be spent?

Donations will be carefully spent to ensure the continued safe and secure occupation of Jones’ Hill Woods. The camp’s survival relies on physical and monetary donations for essential building supplies, safety equipment, transportation, outreach expenses and camp supplies such as food, hot drinks and cooking equipment.

£10 will pay for hot drinks for the camp for a week

£20 will pay for a hot, healthy communal meal for all camp members

£30 will pay for the printing of recycled card flyers for local outreach

£40 will pay for safe, reliable climbing equipment

£50 will pay for essential building materials and tools


How else can you help?

1. Research. Look beyond HS2’s green washing & discover the facts for yourself, please see the list of informative websites and social media pages below

2. Visit and supporta protection site, check the ‘Save Roald Dahl Woods from HS2’ Facebook page for an up to date wish list of physical donations

3. Speak about HS2. Please share information with friends, family & online & contact your MP. Let’s hold HS2 accountable for their actions.


Websites:

*www.stophs2.org

standforthetrees.org    

rethinkhs2.org    

hs2facts.co.uk

HS2Rebellion.earth    

Wildlifetrusts.org




Twitter: @anothervoiceWB / @bearwitness2019

Instagram: @roalddahlwoods / @resisths2 / @hs2rebellion / @twilliamwatson

Facebook: Save Roald Dahl Woods from HS2 / Jones’ Hill Wood / Campaigners Against HS2