HS2 to destroy Jones Hill Wood
Back in October last year we hosted a guest post written by Kevin Hand, an ecologist involved with the important discovery of a roost of one of Britains rarest bat species, the (western) Barbastelle, at Jones Hill Wood (see – Barbastelles, Jones Hill Woods, and HS2). Listed as Vulnerable to extinction in Great Britain in the first Red List for Mammals (published in August 2020) the Barbastelle is known from very few sites and has a very high level of legal protection. Despite the laws protecting the species, the wood was scheduled to be flattened to make way for a railway by contractors working for HS2. Public opinion is firmly against the destruction of what has been dubbed ‘Roald Dahl’s Woods’ but six months later it’s just been announced by HS2 Rebellion that High Court Judge Mr Justice Holgate has refused permission for Mark Keir (representing the Jones Hill Wood Earth protectors) to apply for judicial review and has lifted the injunction which had been placed to suspend the felling of Jones Hill Wood until a full legal case was heard. The trees will come down…
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