Showing posts with label petitions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label petitions. Show all posts

Saturday 26 May 2018

The Endangered Trees of Sheffield and Other UK Cities

Save Sheffield's Trees



The endangered trees of Sheffield are a big concern for me, and a growing number of people from all walks of life. Not just local residents, but celebrities, such as Bianca Jagger and Jarvis Cocker, have joined the campaign to save the trees. Even Michael Gove, who is  Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, spoke out and accused Sheffield City Council of committing “environmental vandalism.”




What is happening in Sheffield, where thousands of trees have been felled, is bad enough but it is happening in many other UK cities too. Cardiff, Swansea, Liverpool, Birmingham, Bristol, Brighton, and London, are some of the ones I have heard of where trees are being so needlessly felled. I keep hearing of more places where trees are under threat or have been destroyed. A report in The Guardian, states that, over the last three years, as many as 8,414 trees were felled in Newcastle, 4,778 were removed in the county of Wiltshire, and a massive 4,435 got the chop in Edinburgh. The more I have got involved in the battle to save Britain’s city street trees, the more I have found out, and the more concerned I have become.

As it is, I often worry about what is happening to the countryside and wildlife of the UK. I keep reading of the declining numbers of so many species of flora and fauna, and sadly it doesn’t surprise me. The habitats animals and plants need are rapidly being destroyed. Among these habitats are forests, and now city trees are in danger too, and many have already been lost. City trees provide homes for wildlife, nesting and roosting places for birds, food for caterpillars of moths and butterflies, and nectar for bees. City trees help to clean the air, as well as providing the natural beauty of their greenery.

White Letter Hairstreak (Photo: Public Domain)

In Sheffield, there was the threat to a surviving elm tree and an entire colony of the endangered white letter hairstreak it supports. This little butterfly has caterpillars that can only feed on elms. After much protest about this potential eco-crime, there was even talk of relocation efforts and a scheme in which butterfly eggs were going to be looked for an moved to other elms. I was not alone in not having much faith in this plan working.

So why is this destruction of British trees happening? Making money and saving money appears to be the answer. Development companies make money by destroying what is there and putting something new in its place. Corrupt city councils save money by not having to pay for the maintenance of established trees. It is much easier to maintain a road with no trees or few trees than one with lines of mature trees. It is much easier to say trees are being replaced, and then plant some saplings, many of which will actually die. It is easy for city councillors to say they care about the health of residents and that they want to see a green city and improve air quality for the future, but then take actions which betray their words, which are just political lies.

The story of Sheffield’s trees is a tragic one. Its main players are Labour councillors and Amey plc versus campaigners who are doing all they can to stop mature and healthy trees from being killed and removed. Police and security forces have been called in to enable the tree killers from Amey to be able to get on with their destructive work.  Bizarre but true news stories have been reported, for example, of over 30 police on duty to enable one tree to be chopped down. The situation has become so crazy it is almost unbelievable, almost surreal. A woman protester was arrested for playing a toy trumpet and a priest for playing a tambourine! Campaigners, who are the true heroes and heroines when it comes to the plight of Sheffield’s trees and efforts to save them, are treated as criminals and ending up in court, while the true crooks walk free.



The public have been lied to by politicians that claim to care about their communities, and many people have learned from this that Labour councillors they voted for did not live up to their image, and were no better than their Tory counterparts after all.

The tree-felling in Sheffield has got worse and worse with respect to how the public have been treated. It has got so bad that not only are protesters being arrested on nonsensical charges by heavy-handed police but operations to fell the trees are being carried out under cover of darkness and several trees have already been killed this way.

Save Roath Trees
Save Roath Trees Sign (Photo: Steve Andrews)

It was in Cardiff that I first got involved when I went along to the parks in Roath where trees along Roath Brook had been felled or marked for future felling. Here it was not Amey plc to blame for the destruction but Natural Resources Wales, that had approved a flood defense scheme, even though there had been no flooding. Residents were rightly annoyed and saddened to see trees that provided part of the beauty of the park, and homes for wildlife, being callously marked as targets for removal. Roath Brook supports all sorts of wildlife, including kingfishers, and there have been reports of the endangered water vole living here too.

Disappearing Trees of Roath (Photo: Steve Andrews)

This haven for wildlife is not far from bustling city streets and should surely be looked after and treasured? Removing a large number of its varied tree species can only damage the site. To find that an organisation, supposedly in charge of looking after the Welsh environment was backing this eco-vandalism is shocking. But perhaps not if we think about what the word “Resources” means to these people. To my mind, this is where a great deal of the world’s problems have their source. The natural world is so often viewed as “resources”, that can be bought and sold, resources that can be used or abused by people, who so arrogantly think themselves superior to nature, not part of it and dependent on it.




Fortunately, the ‘work’ in Cardiff has been put on temporary hold, but it is by no means a victory for campaigners yet, and elsewhere in the city other trees and wildlife habitats are under threat. Redrow plc/Redrow Homes is a housing construction company that have started work on the Plasdwr development project, covered in another of my blogs. Campaigners in Liverpool are hoping to stop this company from destroying trees and parkland at Harthill and Calderstones Park.

Redrow Danger Sign (Photo: Steve Andrews)

I actually had a tweet from someone at Redrow after I had been talking about these matters at Twitter: "Hi Steve. We are translocating existing hedgerows as well as planting new native trees at our PlasDwr development. We are currently developing a new biodiversity strategy which focuses on ensuring net gains for biodiversity on our developments.  Kind regards, Nicola" My response to this was asking how can destroying established trees help ensure biodiversity when it destroys existing habitats and species that depend on them, and pointing out new trees take a long time to grow to the size of those replaced. It remains unanswered.

Stand By Tree
Singing and standing by Tree

So what can we do to help save our trees? My answer, as a singer-songwriter and performer was to sing about it. I changed the lyrics of Stand By Me to “Stand By Tree,” and “All we are saying is give peace a chance” to “All we are saying is give TREES a chance.” And also I have changed the lyrics to "Everybody's talking 'bout Jarvis Cocker, he's a rocker, celebrities, saving trees. All we are saying..."




I have been active on social media reporting on the subject of the protest campaigns to save the trees of the UK. I was made into a poster-boy for the campaigns and was interviewed by Jonathan Downes for his GONZO Weekly too.

Other activists have held public demonstrations or put themselves in the way of the tree-fellers. Many have signed petitions, and like myself, used the social media and news-media to have their say. Some brave but unlucky protesters, including poet, singer and musician Benoit Benz Compin, have found themselves under arrest. But we must carry on doing whatever we can.

I am writing a new song and it contains the lines:

"Who will stop the destruction of so many trees?
Who will save the birds, the butterflies, and bees?
It comes down to the protesters,
To campaigners, like you and I,
We cannot let them kill our world,
We cannot let it die."

Friday 8 January 2016

Celebrities protest against Fracking - Leo Sayer, Sean Lennon, Yoko Ono and King Arthur Pendragon

Leo Sayer says "No Fracking Way"


Celebrities around the world are joining the general public in campaigning to stop fracking, which term is a shorter way of saying hydraulic fracturing. British rock star and singer-songwriter Leo Sayer. who relocated to Australia, has moved away from pop to protest with his song No Fracking Way. Leo assembled a group of singers and musicians to support him in protesting at the Australian government's policy on fracking.  


Hydraulic fracturing diagram (PhotoMikenorton)


This practice of mining for gas and oil disrupts neighbourhoods with increased traffic, pollutes the groundwater and environment with toxic chemicals, damages the landscape, is a threat to species of flora and fauna, and is even known to cause earthquakes. This is why so many people worldwide are saying a loud NO to it!


Sean Lennon, Yoko Ono and Artists Against Fracking


Don't Frack My Mother

Sean Lennon, and Yoko Ono head a cast of artists who recorded a humorous yet deadly serious protest song entitled Don't Frack My Mother. They are part of a team of Artists Against Fracking and are focusing their efforts on stopping fracking in the New York area, as a first step in a global campaign. Over 200 internationally famous singers, bands and stars of stage and screen have shown their support for this.  It is a very long and diverse list of celebrities from all parts of the entertainment industries behind this and names include, Lady Gaga, Beck, Paul McCartney,  Carrie Fisher, Beastie Boys,  Gwyneth Paltrow,  David Crosby, Ringo Starr, Roberto De Niro, Polyphonic Spree, and the Patti Smith Group.

King Arthur Pendragon


King Arthur at Stonehenge Summer Solstice (Photo Ann Wuyts)

Meanwhile in the UK, eco-warrior and Druid, King Arthur Uther Pendragon, who often features in the media due to his campaigns for Truth, Honour and Justice and who is titular head of the Loyal Arthurian Warband Druid Order, has spoken out against fracking. 

King Arthur shared these words on his Facebook page today:

"Twenty Years on from Newbury, Let not, 'Call me Dave' Cameron forget the passion and the numbers mobilized and let him not think for one moment that we will stand by and let his government 'Frack' this 'once green and Pleasant land' against the wishes of her People. She is 'our' land and will protect those who stand by her side. In Nature we trust, in Government we do not." 

By the way, there is an excellent book about King Arthur Pendragon, which he co-authored with C.J. Stone. The book is entitled The Trials of Arthur Revised Edition.

An here is Arthur in the trailer for a documentary about him.


Petitions to Stop Fracking

Please sign these petitions and let's do what we can to stop fracking!  




Friday 25 December 2015

Christmas Butterflies

Red Admiral



Red Admiral (Photo: Public Domain)

The Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) is often the last butterfly to be seen flying in the UK and parts of northern Europe. This colourful insect can be seen in December in mild winters and Butterfly Conservation reported on their Facebook page that the organisation had received recent reports of butterflies being sighted and they shared a photo of a Red Admiral.

The Red Admiral has Christmas colours too because its wings are boldly market with red and white on dark brown and black. This pretty butterfly, which is also found in Asia and North America, is a migrant to the UK but it can hibernate so is a resident butterfly as well. It is one of the last species to be seen in the late autumn, and can be seen feeding on ivy blossom and on windfall fruit. It also flies on sunny and mild winter days.

The Red Admiral's caterpillars feed on Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica). 

Painted Lady


Painted Lady (Photo: Public Domain)

The Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) is not a butterfly you will see in the UK at Christmas, but here in Portugal it is still about in December and I saw one the other day in a sunny spell in what was otherwise a cold and foggy day. It was a very pleasant surprise and got me thinking about this butterfly that is a very successful species unlike so many butterflies that are rapidly declining in numbers.

The Painted Lady is another migrant to the UK and Northern Europe.  It comes from North Africa and the Canary Islands but its northerly migrations have taken it as far as Iceland where it is the only butterfly species that has been reported. The Painted Lady has been found in most parts of the world and is almost global in its distribution.

Unfortunately, unlike the Red Admiral, the Painted Lady is unable to survive British winters in any stage of its lifecycle.  It is a truly remarkable butterfly though because scientists have discovered that it uses the jet stream to carry it on its migrations. The Painted Lady leaves Britain in the autumn to fly south and it does this by being carried in the fast-moving air of the jet stream.  

Besides the Painted Lady's extraordinary migrations, the species does so well because its caterpillar will feed on a lot of different food-plants, including species of thistle (Carduus). Sunflower (Helianthus),  Mallow (Malva) and Burdock (Arctium). Like the larvae of the Red Admiral, the caterpillars of the Painted Lady will also eat nettles. Caterpillars of the Painted Lady are often sold by butterfly supply companies such as Worldwide Butterflies.  They are ideal for schools where children can study the insects and watch them transform from caterpillars into chrysalises into adult butterflies. 

Butterfly World Project

Many butterflies are in danger of becoming extinct in the modern world due to habitat loss, pesticides, herbicides, disease and Climate Change, so they need all the help we can give them. Butterfly World Project in St Albans was set up to help butterfly conservation but has been forced to announce its closure.  Please help by signing the petitions to stop this happening.  I have written all about it in a previous blog here




Friday 18 December 2015

Petition to Save Butterfly World Project in St Albans

Butterfly World to close 


Swallowtail Butterfly on Lantana (Photo: Public Domain)

I couldn't believe it when I read the news that Butterfly World was to close permanently. The Butterfly World Project in Chiswell Green, St Albans has reluctantly announced that they will not be reopening next year.  As usual it appears that money is at the root of the problem.  Butterfly World has been failing to make the profit it needs.

Phase IV of the Butterfly World Project was going to be the construction of a 100-metre-wide rainforest bio dome. It was intended to house hundreds of tropical butterflies, hummingbirds, insects, spiders and tropical plants. Sadly it has not attracted the funding it needs to go ahead, and John Breheny, who is the chairman of the engineering project for the centre, has put the blame on a "succession of trading losses."

Clive Farrell

Butterfly World was founded by lepidopterist and author Clive Farrell in 2009, and has attracted over 500, 000 visitors. 



 Farrell, by the way, co-authored The Butterfly Gardener with the late Miriam Rothschild.  I personally recommend this book, which looks in detail at how butterflies can be attracted to our gardens throughout the year, and what the insects really need to thrive. The Butterfly Gardener is an excellent book to get if you want to find out how we can help butterfly conservation.


Clive Farrell at the launch of Butterfly World


Celebrity Support for Butterfly World

As well as attracting thousands of visitors and the support of countless members of the public, Butterfly World has been supported by a number of well-known celebrities, including Sir David Attenborough, Professor David Bellamy. broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh and actress Emilia Fox. 


David Bellamy talks about Butterfly World

Petition to Save Butterfly World from closure

With butterflies disappearing in the UK and throughout the world in alarming numbers, we need more places like Butterfly World not less. Many people still think that we can turn things around and save Butterfly World, and so a petition has been launched.


Small Blue Cupido minimus (Photo: Valerius Geng)


Please sign Petition To Save Butterfly World and help by circulating this news! Blog about it, Tweet about it, share on Facebook and let us help Butterfly World to make a comeback, just like the many species, species such as the Small Blue, it was helping to do so!

And sign this petition too:




Monday 7 December 2015

Help save the last wolves in Norway from hunters

11,000 people want to kill half of the last 30 wolves in Norway

Wolves have declined in numbers in many parts of the world and are extinct in the UK and other places where they once lived. In Norway, they are down to just 30 animals but that has not stopped over 11,000 people wanting to hunt half of these remaining wolves and kill them!


Wolves (Canis lupus lupus) at Polar Zoo in municipality of Bardu, Troms County, Norway (Photo: Taral Jansen)

Yes, despite the very low numbers of this magnificent animal still surviving in this Scandinavian country, it has been reported in The Guardian,  that 11,571 people have applied for hunting licenses so they can kill 16 of these wolves. That means we have the alarming figure of 723 hunters for each wolf! And, how can anyone ensure that no more than 16 wolves are killed in any case, and what about illegal hunting? 



Norwegian Wolves


The hunting season in Norway started on 1 October and continues until the end of March, so that means six months of extreme danger for the Norwegian wolves. 

Why do people want to hunt wolves? 

Hunting is very popular with Norwegian men who view it as a traditional sport, and presumably makes them feel macho. It is reported that there are 200,000 registered hunters in Norway. Most of these hunters are men, and only 500 women signed up to hunt this year.

Hunting licenses are granted so that hunters can help protect livestock. Sadly in many parts of the world, wolves are forced to kill farmed animals or go without food because their natural prey are so low in numbers and the habitats are so degraded due to humans. Wolves also are forced to scavenge on garbage like foxes. 


Updated range of grey wolves in Eurasia. (Photo: Public Domain)


Norway's wolf populations would stand a better chance if they were in Sweden, Finland or Russia, where the animals have better governmental protection. Wolves are a fully protected species in Sweden where their numbers are increasing. 

Bears in Norway

Bears in Norway are under serious threat from hunters too.  10,930 registered hunters want to track down and shoot 18 Norwegian brown bears


Brown bear (Photo: Public Domain)


Petition to Save the Wolves of Norway

Fortunately, there is something you can do if, like me, you want to help save the Norwegian wolves. There is a petition that can be signed, and sometimes petitions really do get results and are worth signing!









Tuesday 1 December 2015

Grey Squirrels to be culled in the UK in EU plan

Grey Squirrel cull

Like me you may think that grey squirrels are cute animals that you enjoy seeing in parks and woodlands, so you will no doubt be saddened and angry to hear that plans are afoot to cull tens of thousands of them in the UK.


Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) Photo: Public Domain

The Forestry Commission and the UK Government are planning to pay British landowners to rid their estates of the animals and grants will be available for up to five years that will pay £100 per hectare of land.  European Union politicians have devised this scheme and it will also be applicable in Ireland and Italy. 


Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) Photo: Public Domain


There are around five million grey squirrels in the UK. It is being claimed that the grey squirrel is a harmful pest that has displaced the native red squirrel and that causes serious damage to forests. 

But not everyone agrees with these claims, and many animal activists are opposing the cull. It is argued that the grey squirrel is being blamed for a problem they did not cause. Further it is being stated by the Interactive Centre For Scientific Research About Squirrels (ICSRS) that the grey squirrel is actually of great benefit to our woodlands because it is responsible for the regeneration of forests. Scientific studies have shown that the animals are "unrivalled leaders in seed dispersion."  This is because grey squirrels bury a lot of the nuts and seeds they find. The nuts they forget about germinate in spring and can grow into new trees. 

I can confirm this because my father had a grey squirrel that visited his garden each autumn and planted hundreds of filberts that it collected from his tree. This caused the seedlings to germinate all over my dad's garden to his annoyance, though he used to like seeing the squirrel, all the same.

Furthermore, there is much evidence to show that the grey squirrel should not be blamed for the decline in red squirrel numbers that it is said to have caused. Grey squirrels are adaptable and can live in deciduous woodlands and in parks. Red squirrels are more suited to conifer forests and pinewoods than the greys. Humans have destroyed the habitats of the red squirrel with the continuing destruction of forests throughout the UK. 

Cruel methods can be used to kill squirrels in the cull. Shooting, bludgeoning, trapping and poisoning are all allowed. Poisoning with warfarin, a blood anticoagulant, causes the animals to bleed to death in the same way that rats are killed. Squirrels can be killed in the breeding season too, which means that many baby animals will starve if their mothers are killed.

Petition to Stop the Grey Squirrel Cull

A petition to Stop The European Union Squirrel Cull has been set up, so add your signature if you oppose the killing of these woodland animals.