#saveshefftrees Round Up – March 22nd 2018 – RIP Duchess

Rivelin Valley Road proved to be a decoy “felling” this morning. There were 5 stony faced Security Staff standing around for a while backed up to a wall and two, somewhat smug looking, Acorn employees sitting in their van parked in the Fire Station car park. The six tree protectors who arrived soon got word that the actual felling was going to take place elsewhere.

The real target was a beautiful Lime tree named “Duchess” on Chatsworth Road.
Duchess was rapidly surrounded by the Heras barriers and between 25 and 30 police, over 20 Security Staff and a large contingent of Acorn Arbs.

Unfortunately we had no garden permissions so the willing Gnomes had nowhere to stand to protect the tree.

Outside the barriers gathered several journalists and a noisy crowd of over 40 tree protectors.
Inspired by yesterday’s musical “Toot Your Horn”, most had some kind of noise making instrument with them. There were bells, clappers, kazoos, slide whistles, tambourines, recorders and noisemakers that have yet to be given a name.
The inaugural performance of the Chatsworth Tree Voice Choir was accompanied by the tooting instruments, very few in tune, but all effectively loud.

Despite the singing and the noise it was a heartbreaking occasion. Duchess has been fiercely defended through dawn, dusk, snow, sunshine and rain by devoted Tree Defenders in the area.
SCC is guilty of Eco Crime by taking this beautiful tree down.

Once the awful felling had finished further protest delayed the removal of the Duchess’s felled and cut up carcass.
This resulted in two arrests:
The first was a middle aged lady with a broken arm and a pink glittery recorder who was arrested for obstructing the grabber truck from entering the work zone to clear away the wood. We understand she is still in custody as she does not wish to give the police her details.

The second was a female ordained reverend minister who was arrested for assaulting a police officer with a tambourine. She was arrested with cuffs, the tambourine was not arrested.
She was later released without charge from Snig Hill Custody Suite.

A Road block protest at the very end of the day had 18 police lined up across the road in front of the trucks while they were addressed by one very determined protestor. She strongly encouraged them to examine what they were doing and “Contact your Federation privately” if they are uncomfortable with anything they are being asked to do during these tree protests.
Sally spoke very movingly – please listen. https://www.facebook.com/groups/392913244219104/permalink/925619154281841/
Sally and Ann also sang and broke our hearts; the tree love shines through for the Duchess on Chatsworth.

I’ll leave you with this comment from Rich posted in Facebook:

Seared in the mind’s eye
Macabre swirling sawdust
Of pale chainsaw tears

There were other tears too today. Goodbye Duchess.

POWER TO THE PEACEFUL
THIS WAS ECO CRIME
WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY