No felling:

So another week without felling has gone by, which has again been lovely. Conflicting rumours abound about whether the felling crews will be back next week or not. There are some hints that they might, and other rumours to the contrary. Either way, as ever, we should be vigilant.
Felling to resume?

There are parking restriction notices on Kenwood Road, a renowned conservation area, for example from the 16^th to 18^th April. This could of course be for stump grinding. But it could be to fell trees. Don’t forget that there is still one of the heavily night pruned trees still standing, which is absolutely saveable with rectifying pruning. So if the emergency callout occurs next week, please, as ever, do your best to attend, even if only for an hour. The more people attend, the more pressure is put on the felling crews, security and police.

Elsewhere another campaign Freedom of Information request has highlighted confidential emails revealing South Yorkshire Police taking orders from Amey, then lying to the media about it!
May Elections:

We are reliably informed that Postal Votes for the May local elections are due to be received in the next week or so, and that means that some people will begin to return cast votes next week. It is therefore essential that you seriously consider who you vote for. A lot of people vote for the same party locally as they do nationally, when they are two very different things. We strongly advise vote for the most pro tree candidate in your ward!

If you are doubting which way to vote, please remember that the ruling Labour cabinet used their marginal victory in the Nether Edge and Sharrow by-election last year as proof that residents favoured felling street trees.

It is also important that you do your best to persuade your friends, families and neighbours to do the same. There is very strong evidence to show that many people are swayed to vote for people they think many other people are also voting for. So if there are posters in windows of Alison Teal, and they hear that other people are voting Alison Teal, they are more likely to vote for Alison Teal themselves. So please get persuading others!
Upcoming events:

In terms of upcoming events, just a reminder about the “Let’s Hear It for Trees” musical event on Sunday 22^nd April. Book tickets early if you do want to go.

Plus there is the Abbeydale Park Rise blossom party this Sunday at 3pm. If you haven’t seen how stunning the white blossom is before, we strongly recommend you go and see it. We were blown away by it last year, literally gorgeous.

Have a great weekend.

‘I salute you’ – that was the message from Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker as he returned to Sheffield to join hundreds of tree protesters in a march to the City Hall.

A downpour of rain did not stop hundreds of people of all ages from descending on the city centre in support of the campaign to stop controversial tree felling work planned by Sheffield City Council

“It’s great, it’s made me feel very proud of Sheffield. I don’t spend as much time as I used to in Sheffield, but I’m saluting you,” Jarvis said of the march.

He added: “Chopping down trees at 4am is a little bit surreptitious, you’re obviously not sure if what you’re doing is right.”

“I do think it’s a situation that requires communication from both sides.”

BBC Countryfile contributor, ‘Tree Hunter’ Rob McBride told the crowd: “This is the worst case of urban tree destruction on the planet.”

“The tree felling in this city is random, it’s indiscriminate. The council are out of their depth with the contract.”

“Egos and reputations are stalling progress in this city.”

“We will win, we will save the trees.”

Private contractor Amey is carrying out the work as part of Sheffield Council’s ‘Streets Ahead’ programme, a city wide road improvement programme.

It claims the trees earmarked for felling have been classed as dead, diseased or causing damage or obstruction – something the protesters dispute.

https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/i-salute-you-jarvis-cocker-tells-sheffield-tree-protesters-as-they-march-on-city-hall-1-9103331

One morning late last summer, I awoke to the sound of a chainsaw angrily working its way through one of the large mature trees that overhang my back garden. I went out in my pyjamas to remonstrate with the chainsaw wielders, who, two houses down, were now hacking away at a hundred-year-old specimen. Initially they refused to talk to me, but they eventually relented: the tree’s roots had destroyed a wall, the owner of the house was fed up, he would plant a sapling, it was none of my business, this wasn’t a conservation area, and the tree in question was, in any case, “an unpleasant species”. “Humans are an unpleasant species”, I muttered to no one in particular, and went back inside, where, as the day wore on, I tried to shut out the terrible noise of splitting branches, the sickening thud as they fell to the ground – the end result, to my mind, being equal to the carnage left by a particularly bloody, if ultimately one-sided, battle.

Unable to identify this particular species of tree, I could not testify to its inherent unpleasantness – I only knew that it was first in my line of vision when I opened my eyes every morning, and that in summer the pigeons would bounce contentedly on its branches. By early evening, the deed was done, and nature seemed to retreat: the birds’ twittering became subdued, and they called to each other in puzzlement, as if from very far away.

Less than 200 miles from where I live in north London, my isolated and half-hearted protest has been replicated with much more fervour dozens of times over the past few years. In 2012, Sheffield’s Labour-controlled council signed an agreement with the private contractor Amey to fell thousands of street trees deemed diseased, dying or obstructive. A Save Sheffield Trees campaign was mounted in response, claiming that healthy trees were routinely being felled. The increasingly toxic daily stand-offs between the city’s residents and the police and security guards deployed on behalf of the council, it says in response to “increasingly dangerous tactics” by a handful of people, have escalated to such an extent that they bring to mind the miners’ strike of the mid-1980s. (The conflict has been dubbed “our Orgreave” by some, in reference to that pivotal confrontation between police and pickets in June 1984.)

I grew up in Sheffield during this period, and while those unfamiliar with the city may struggle to conceive of it as a place of arboreal bliss, that is precisely my own experience. Ironically, the same council that dubbed Sheffield the “greenest city in Europe” now threatens up to half of its 36,000 street trees (according to a recent freedom-of-information revelation); these are trees that grace and protect streets with names of lyrical cadence: Hangingwater, Ringinglow, Abbeydale, Endcliffe, Ranmoor, Whirlow, Beauchief. In Chelsea Park in Nether Edge, while supposedly revising for A-levels, I committed to memory much of the poetry of John Berryman, his “small trees in mist / far down an endless green” easily relatable to the wooded vista before me. This tiny park lies around the corner from the scene of one of the more urgent Save Sheffield Trees protests: that against the removal of the Chelsea Road Elm, a Huntingdon Elm which houses a rare White-letter Hairstreak butterfly colony. Other trees – some of which, among them “Vernon Oak” and “Duchess Lime”, have been given their own Twitter handles – have not held out as long. In Western Road, Crookes, trees planted to commemorate local people who died in the First World War are also under threat.

Last week the Guardian reported that a woman had been detained by police for playing a (red) plastic trumpet too close to the “designated safety zone”. The deployment of thirty police officers to remove a few protesters at a time of squeezed public services might be one of the reasons the local community has united against its council. Another is that they feel unheard, and excluded from the decision-making process. As the nature writer Patrick Barkham commented in the Guardian last September: Sheffield shares with other UK city councils “a tragic inability to see street trees as an asset rather than a liability. They’re also ignominiously failing to use new tools at their disposal to calculate the real value of their trees”. It was not always so dismal. Many urban green spaces, particularly in the manufacturing centres of the industrial North which flourished throughout the nineteenth century, owe their existence to the city’s metal trades. In Sheffield the dominance of the cutlery industry earned it the sobriquet “Steel City” (some tree protesters are now renaming it “Stump City”, which may well stick). These landowners set aside woodlands and gardens for recreational use, for the safeguarding of biodiversity – a small attempt at offsetting the grime, soot and poor housing.

Now, it seems, those gifts are being revoked in the crudest way imaginable. Sheffield has always been far from utopian, of course, although it has frequently attracted those with independent minds and alternative lifestyles. Essentially it is two cities in one (which goes some way to explaining the narrowness of its vote in favour of Leave in the 2016 referendum); the grand villas and elegant botanical gardens that John Betjeman referred to as part of Sheffield’s “sylvan expansion” in his woozy poem “An Edwardian Sunday, Broomhill, Sheffield” contrast sharply with the 1960s high-rise estates such as the brutalist, now Grade II-listed, Park Hill. Among those objecting to the tree-felling programme are the Sheffield musicians Richard Hawley and Jarvis Cocker, and Secretary of State for the Environment Michael Gove (the Labour leadership, perhaps nervous of weighing in against Sheffield’s cash-strapped council, remains conspicuously silent).

Hawley is writing a musical about Park Hill, to be staged next year at the Crucible Theatre, which in 1966 saw an earlier part of Sheffield’s history recreated in The Stirrings in Sheffield on Saturday Night, a spirited musical dramatization of the Grinders’ Union strike of the 1860s. Twenty years before, in 1840, Sheffield had been the backdrop to an early Chartist uprising. I like to think of it as a place of rebellion still, and hope this latest incarnation of its spirit will prevail. For now – the council says for safety reasons but perhaps also under public and media pressure or, more cynically, with an eye to May’s local elections – the tree-felling programme has been paused (apart from “essential” works). There is talk of a “people’s audit” to hold the council to account. The Save Sheffield Trees movement’s hashtag #theworldiswatching shows this battle to be a litmus test for other UK cities: a frustrated population is fighting against urban deforestation and the myopic vision of those in charge. “The hand that signed the paper felled a city”, wrote Dylan Thomas. “Hands have no tears to flow”.

Catherine Taylor is a freelance writer and critic currently working on The Stirrings, a cultural memoir of Sheffield in the 1970s and 80s.

https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/public/no-tears-to-flow/

No Felling(ish!)

No felling this week anywhere in Sheffield, which is incredibly good news.

We say no felling, there was the felling of one tree on Sheldon Road, however this was a tree that was causing proven (after two years of monitoring) structural damage to a house, something the campaign has known about for a year now, so the felling was uncontested. It once again shows the reasonableness of campaigners if hard evidence is shared transparently with us!

So why was there no other felling? The Council and Amey announced another pause in felling for a “couple of weeks.” In their press statement, the reason given was due to the danger posed to Amey staff from campaigners. This clearly isn’t the real reason, but it begs the question what was? There have been a number of theories posed. Just a few include:

1. The election Purdah period;
2. Easter school holidays;
3. Police pressure (the presence of 33 police officers at felling sites is actually slowing the felling down, and is clearly unsustainable for that number of Police to be supporting Amey for the next 104 weeks or so required to fell the remaining threatened trees);
4. Political pressure from within the Labour Party (3 local Labour MPs, Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour Shadow Environment Secretary, local Councillors etc);
5. Media pressure (A huge storm of interest from national and international media in recent weeks);
6. Revelations about the content of the PFI contract and scrutiny of the quality of Amey’s wider work;
7. A combination of some or all of the above!

There is also the question of how long the pause will be for. Could it be permanent, and mark a change in attitude, with a move to open and transparent discussion and engagement with the community? From the Council press statement, it clearly doesn’t look like it. Our personal view is that Council has really felt huge media heat and are under extreme pressure, but that they have made the classic move of trying to sound more reasonable in announcing a pause to allow that heat to dissipate, before returning to felling in a few weeks’ time. Let’s hope not!.

Like we always say, as a campaign we need to be using the pause in a useful way. That could be to recharge our batteries, but to also to continue to pressure the Council, Amey, the Police and Acorn in many other ways.

Future Key Events:

In the coming week there are two events your presence would be greatly appreciated at:

1)    Wednesday 4^th April at 1pm on Western Road – The Sunday Times is writing a huge expose of the crazy situation and would like at many campaigners as possible to turn up to Western Road at that time/day for a huge photo opportunity;

2)    Saturday 7^th April at 9.45am outside Sheffield City Hall – STAG founder Dave Dillner has organised this large rally. Those attending will march around town and back to the City Hall to hear speakers. These include prominent people from the Arboricultural, Environmental and Ecological professions, as well as people from the world of entertainment, including Jarvis Cocker!

And that’s all for this week. Enjoy the Easter Bank Holiday Weekend.

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People are extremely upset about healthy trees being chopped down in one of Europe’s greenest cities as part of a PFI deal. Here’s everything you need to know about the ongoing saga

Healthy trees in one of Europe’s greenest cities are being chopped down as part of a PFI deal, and locals are very upset about it.

In recent weeks, you may have seen pictures and video of pensioners chained to trees, or being arrested for blowing a small plastic trumpet

It all started when Sheffield City Council signed off on a £2.2bn Private Finance Initiative contract in 2012.

The 25 year ‘Streets Ahead’ contract, to be delivered by Amey plc, is for highway, pavement and street light renewal, but also includes the management of Sheffield’s highway trees.

Any tree that is judged as dangerous, diseased, dead, dying, damaging or discriminatory, is subject to be felled.

But the policy’s provoked a huge backlash with protesters angry over how the council have come to conclusions on which trees should be chopped down.

Environmental Secretary Michael Gove said on Sunday he would “do anything” to stop what he described as “environmental vandalism”.

So why is it controversial, how many trees are being felled, and why have the government stepped in?

Here’s everything you need to know about Treegate.

What’s the big fuss?

Last week the council confirmed, through information obtained via FOI request, that it is aiming to replace around half of Sheffield’s trees

This means that 17,500 will be felled when the contract ends in 2037.

If fewer than the 17,500 trees are felled then a “financial adjustment” between the council and Amey will have to be made.

The council insists that the figure is not a target, insisting that 10,000 will face the chop and be replaced by tree samplings planted across the city.

But tree campaigners say that many of these trees are healthy and are being removed unnecessarily.

5,500 trees have already been chopped down.

It’s led to a series of stand-offs between protestors, contractors, private security staff and police, with a court injunction imposed as a result.

Who are Amey and what is a PFI Contract?

Amey is an infrastructure support service provider, and works in the private and public sector selling services such as highways maintenance and facilities management.

The company won the bidding for the PFI contract ahead of fellow construction giant Carillion.

Its workers are the ones who undertake felling activities across Sheffield.

The term PFI describes any private sector involvement in public services.

If the council decided to fell the trees themselves then it would be the taxpayer who would foot the bill.

Why are people getting arrested?

(Image: Yorkshire Post / SWNS.com)

Campaigners have been taken away in police vans for obstructing the work of tree fellers.

A majority of the arrests have taken place under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.

Earlier this month South Yorkshire Police deployed its Protest Removal Team for only the second time in its 12 year history, in an attempt to remove a campaigner crouching under a cherry picker.

The police’s chief constable, Simon Watson, has said that the force “regrets” that tree protests have led to the arrests of “decent people”, adding that the police had “bent over backwards” not to take people away.

Around 25 people have been arrested since the start of the year.

What are people being arrested for?

Just last week a 57-year-old woman was arrested for blowing a small plastic trumpet at police officers during a protest.

The campaigner set off a rape alarm, after telling police that the council’s contractors were “raping the trees”.

Then the following day a woman with a broken arm and a pink glittery recorder was also arrested while trying to halt the destruction of a lime tree.

She was a group of about 40 “tree protectors” who demonstrated with an array of noise-making instruments, in solidarity with the trumpet player, before she was taken away by police.

A newly ordained vicar armed with a tambourine was also arrested, reportedly because she chased after the woman with the recorder, who had her car keys.

It comes as another man was arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated harassment under the Public Order Act 1986.

Entire residential streets have been effectively “shut down” with scenes of 30 or so police commonplace, alongside riot vans and security guards at various tree fellings.

Why is there a pause in the felling?

Two days ago the council announced a temporary halt to its felling programme.

It said that its contractor Amey was “exploring options for completing the work and will present these options to the council.”

Two Labour MPs in Sheffield called for a pause to the felling in the city, in the wake of further arrests of protestors at recent felling sites.

Louise Haigh, MP for Sheffield Heeley, said: “One thing is clear, this dispute cannot be solved by ramping up security. That’s why I believe that the only possible solution is a halt in the fellings and meaningful mediation with local residents going forward.”

While Paul Blomfield, MP for Sheffield Central called for a pause in the work to allow for more discussion to resolve the current conflict, “putting the views of residents on affected streets first.”

It’s the second time that work has been halted, after disturbance between protesters and security staff in January stopped felling for four weeks.

It is not certain why the council made the decision to pause the felling again, but with increased police presence on the streets and local elections on the horizon in May it doesn’t come as a surprise.

How big of an issue are trees in Sheffield?

Sheffield Tree Action Groups, the main group of campaigners against the felling, make up just under 10,000 people.

People from all backgrounds, from the civil service to local residents, voice their dissent in organised street protests.

Last year a study by mapping firm, Esri UK, found that Sheffield was the sixth greenest city in the UK, with 22.1% of the city’s map made up of greenery.

The Green Party have had representation on the council since 2004, and currently have four councillors.

Former leader of the party Natalie Bennett finished third in the Sheffield Central constituency in the recent general election.

Where does it go from here?

Given the PFI contract ends in 2037 there may be no end in sight.

The council and Amey are currently in talks about the contract and arrests of tree protesters. Any major announcements could be issued after local elections on May 3.

According to Labour Councillor Jack Scott the council would be projected to lose around £300m if they terminated the contract today.

Three days ago it was confirmed that the government wouldn’t step in over the £2.2bn contract.

With 20 years of the contract left thousands of trees are still projected to be felled

Original article:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/what-treegate-everything-you-need-12273031