Beloved Cubbington pear tree is felled by HS2 workers

The beloved ancient pear tree in South Cubbington Wood has today (Tuesday October 20) been felled.
By Oliver Williams
Published 20th Oct 2020, 14:29 BST
Updated 21st Oct 2020, 12:19 BST

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The work started this morning and protesters against the high-speed rail project gathered for a vigil to watch events unfold.

Videos and photos have been posted on various Stop HS2 Facebook group pages.

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Charlotte Griffin, a campaigner against HS2, said: "Today is a historic day.

The wild pear tree in South Cubbington Wood was felled as part of work on the HS2 high-speed rail line today (Tuesday October 20). Photo courtesy of the Save Cubbington Woods - Stop HS2 Facebook group.The wild pear tree in South Cubbington Wood was felled as part of work on the HS2 high-speed rail line today (Tuesday October 20). Photo courtesy of the Save Cubbington Woods - Stop HS2 Facebook group.
The wild pear tree in South Cubbington Wood was felled as part of work on the HS2 high-speed rail line today (Tuesday October 20). Photo courtesy of the Save Cubbington Woods - Stop HS2 Facebook group.

"HS2 began felling the iconic 250-year-old Cubbington Pear Tree.

"A tree much loved by the local community.

"A familiar place for walkers to take shelter from wind, rain and sun and part of our heritage and landscape.

"England Tree of the year 2015. A home for precious biodiversity.

Yellow ribbons were tied to the fence keeping people away from HS2 works in South Cubbington Wood. They were put there in tribute to the ancient wild pear tree which was felled as part of the work today (Tuesday October 20). Photo courtesy of Frances Wilmot.Yellow ribbons were tied to the fence keeping people away from HS2 works in South Cubbington Wood. They were put there in tribute to the ancient wild pear tree which was felled as part of the work today (Tuesday October 20). Photo courtesy of Frances Wilmot.
Yellow ribbons were tied to the fence keeping people away from HS2 works in South Cubbington Wood. They were put there in tribute to the ancient wild pear tree which was felled as part of the work today (Tuesday October 20). Photo courtesy of Frances Wilmot.
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"It has also become symbolic with much of the stop HS2 campaign and representative of all that we ‘fight’ and peacefully protest for not just stopping the ill-conceived madness of HS2 but the destruction of our wild spaces, our natural world all adding to the climate and ecological crisis.

hundreds, thousands, and millions of years of historical heritage, landscape and biodiversity are being lost, wiped out in minutes by man and machine.

"For anyone reading this thinking 'it’s just a / one tree' it’s much more than that, symptomatic, symbolic of much of what is wrong with this world today and this seemingly relentless path of self-destruction we are currently on.

"This is all connected.

HS2 project workers gather around the ancient wild pear tree in South Cubbington Wood before the tree was felled. Photo courtesy of Frances Wilmot.HS2 project workers gather around the ancient wild pear tree in South Cubbington Wood before the tree was felled. Photo courtesy of Frances Wilmot.
HS2 project workers gather around the ancient wild pear tree in South Cubbington Wood before the tree was felled. Photo courtesy of Frances Wilmot.

"We, our children and their future children face a perilous future unless we act now to stop this madness.

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"To change our ways, to live sustainably and harmoniously together on this earth and in our environment.

"There is a sense of numbness as this takes its toll on us all.

"Emotionally, we are grieving.

Photo by Mike BakerPhoto by Mike Baker
Photo by Mike Baker

"Let the loss of this tree that symbolises so much to so many not be completely in vain."

For updates find the Save Cubbington Woods - Stop HS2 group on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/savecubbingtonwoods

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