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Activists climb into tree to protect it from being felled
Activists have promised that they will occupy a tree for as long as it takes in order to prevent it from being felled by Bristol City Council.
Members of newly formed campaign group, Save The Ashley Down Oak (STADO), have built a platform in the holm oak whose felling the council say is “unavoidable”.
Bristol Tree Forum have already applied for an emergency Tree Protection Order for the century-old tree on the corner of Ashley Down Road and Stoney Lane, which experts say is causing subsidence problems in nearby houses.
is needed now More than ever
A STADO activist who told Bristol24/7 that his name was Spirit said that this was not a last resort for campaigners.
But he added: “The council have been saying that they are willing to cut down the tree. So in some ways, this is us saying, ‘we will stop you and we are willing to put our bodies on the line to get in the way’…
“We have got a lot of people involved and we can support people staying up there (in the tree) for as long as it’s necessary to keep the tree safe.”
Activists have erected a pulley system to access the wooden platform in the tree – photo: Martin Booth
A petition to save the tree has now reached more than 1,300 signatures, with local residents bringing Spirit and his fellow campaigners hot food and drink during their vigil.
STADO will be holding an online community meeting at 5pm on Saturday in a hope of further engaging with Ashley Down residents.
The activists stress that they are maintaining social distancing at all times, avoiding mass gatherings and wearing face masks when appropriate.
The holm oak tree on Ashley Down Road has stood for more than 100 years – photo: Martin Booth
A Bristol City Council spokesperson said: “Previous pruning back of this tree has unfortunately not stopped significant subsidence damage to a neighbouring house, and so an independent expert has recommended that this tree is removed.
“While the tree being removed is sadly unavoidable, Bristol’s commitment to tackling the climate and ecological emergencies can be seen in this part of Bristol and across the whole city.
“Just round the corner, almost 250 new trees will be planted at Sefton Park Primary School next month – following on from 60,000 trees planted in the last five years through One Tree Per Child. A further 600 trees are being planted during this growing season within around one mile of Ashley Down Road.
“Bristol will have planted more than 8,000 new trees between November and March, including over 1,000 new larger trees planted on Bristol’s streets and in our green spaces, as work continues to deliver on the city’s commitment to double Bristol’s tree canopy by 2046.
“Additional information on this issue will be made available to local residents, councillors and the Bristol Tree Forum in coming days. In the meantime, people in the tree should vacate it.”
A notice informing of the imminent felling of the tree was pinned to its trunk in January – photos: Martin Booth
Main photo: Martin Booth
Read more: Discovering a forgotten piece of cricketing history in Ashley Down
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