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 The Oaks and the campaign to save them.

In December 2018, planning notices appeared near the entrances to the wood, informing people that they had a couple of weeks to respond to the intention of Southwark Council to repair Cox's Walk footbridge. The planning application was for the felling of two mature oak trees to  enable these repairs to take place.
Over time, structural deterioration had become evident, most especially the main timbers rotting and moving their positions. However, although visible, this was a minor structural issue and timbers have been replaced three times since 2000. The most expensive element of the repair is the rebuilding of the abutment walls at each end of the bridge. The footbridge provides a major routeway into the wood and helps to conserve the ecologically sensitive cutting beneath it. In this cutting, amongst other species,  sweet woodruff can be found and this is rare in the Southwark/Lewisham area. Also. it was from this bridge that Camille Pissarro painted the view of Lordship Lane Station. So the bridge has historical, cultural and environmental value. 
 
The photograph above shows the two oaks highlighted by the red arrows.

However, Southwark Highways department, who are responsible for Cox's Walk and the bridge, proposed to fell two mature oaks which grow as sentinels on each side of the bridge at its western (Dulwich) end. It would seem that the reason for doing this was to afford access for heavy machinery and not for any damage the trees might have caused. In fact, arboricultural surveys suggest that the trees have not affected the two abutments of the bridge, so felling would seem to be based on convenience. It has been suggested that removing two large trees will alter the water balance in the cutting soil, causing destabilisation as a result of heave.
 
In the meantime, the bridge was closed in January of this year, increasing greatly the traffic in the eastern entrance causing extensive footpath erosion. Even more worrying, barriers and fencing have been removed and serious damage has been done to the ecology of the cutting as people have sought short cuts through the wood to compensate for not being able to use the bridge.

A campaign was set up to save the trees and thousands of names were added to a petition which was submitted to the council. A successful appeal using crowdfunding paid for an engineer to suggest an alternative solution which would have a lower impact on the wood, save the trees and be more sustainable than the heavy engineering of the Council's scheme.

All to no avail as Southwark Highways has refused to budge on the issue. Recently, notices appeared that felling was due to commence last Monday (18th). However, campaigners have taken up position by the trees and refused to move, so contractors had no choice but to leave. However, the issue is far from resolved and planning permission lapses on the 2nd December, so watch this space.

These are two videos about the issue.
First, The BBC London News report from Saturday 21st November

Second, an interview with one of the protestors who explains why the issue is so important,
 

 

One of the oaks, seen behind the banner.

Local residents and wood users make their voices heard

 
A petition on 38 Degrees has,  at the time of writing,  attracted 5228 signatures.

On Tuesday 24th November, a notice has been posted which says that an injunction is being sought to prevent protestors from interfering with the felling.


Update 1st December, 2020
The application for the injunction has been rejected.

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