Stop HS2: Meet the Tree Protectors is a series of campaign films highlighting the committed environmental activists - the “Tree Protectors” who are trying to #stopHS2 - UK’s destructive high speed railway line.
During the summer of 2020 in the UK Sharron Ward filmed some of the brave and inspiring “eco-warriors” who lived at Denham ford protection camp in Denham Country Park, West London.
HS2 is a rail project (given approval by Boris Johnson’s cabinet) that in its 120 year lifetime won't ever be carbon neutral and has to date decimated over 116 hectares of trees - the equivalent of around 290 football fields. Around 15 hectares of that is believed to be around 108 ancient woodlands that have either already been decimated or are about to be. This really is the UK’s Amazon.
Many of the protectors living and visiting Denham camp are young climate activists – those who will be most affected by the climate crisis to come. They really are living on the climate frontline in the UK.
The UK ironically hosted #COP26 - which many found this brazen hypocrisy a step too far. Whilst advocating for a halt to the #deforestation of the Amazon and to other forests around the world, the UK ignores it’s very own Amazon right on it’s own doorstep – made possible by HS2 – in what has been billed by Conservationist Chris Packham as “the largest deforestation project in the UK since World War I.”
So meet Swan, Mark, Talia, Jester, Stone & Squid from Denham environmental protection camp who explain what motivates them to put their lives and liberty on the line to stop the senseless destructive of wildlife habitats and the natural carbon stores of thousands of trees.
Filmed, directed, edited & produced by Sharron Ward at Katalyst Productions. With thanks to the Stop HS2 Tree Protectors, audio by David Liversidge Radiate Studios Auckland, Drone footage by Sally Low, Music Lake Oconee by Elise Magnefold courtesy of Firefly Entertainment AB.
If you'd like to learn more about the Stop HS2 campaign go to hs2rebellion.earth, standupforthetrees.org & @HS2Rebellion on Instagram & Twitter. You can watch all of the films in the series on the Katalyst Vimeo page.
You can read about director Sharron Ward's experience filming the Tree Protectors on the Katalyst Blog here.
