Campaigners have issued a 'emergency statement' ahead of the expected commencement of tree-felling in Great Missenden.

A group of campaigners have been at the site since last Monday, protesting against the tree-felling and subsequent road-widening on Link Road and Frith Hill in Great Missenden.

Three of the campaigners have highlighted their concerns in what they have coined an ‘emergency press release’ ahead of the expected works.

Alan Woodward an environmental campaigner climbed one of the trees at risk as HS2 moved in to close the road after being told about the threat by concerned locals.

“I heard about the trees and decided to come and start conversations and engage people in the local community as to how to save them. I found no-one knew what to do, all the usual avenues had all been explored and exhausted and concerns had fallen on deaf ears.

“Having had the experience of living at the two year old, Colne Valley, HS2 Protection Camp where direct action against HS2 is the core purpose and been very successful I felt there was a need for hope and a focus so I set up this camp as a base for all in the area opposed to HS2.

“I’ve come here to help! I’ve been utterly overwhelmed by all the support, and kindness of everyone in Great Missenden and the surrounding areas and am absolutely certain we can fight this and save these trees.”

Elizabeth Cairns, a local business owner and Extinction Rebellion member, is another one of the campaigners remaining on the site.

She said: “We are in a time of climate crisis and we need to stand together against the ecocide HS2 is committing here and across the country.

Parliament and our own Chiltern District Council have declared us to be in a state of climate emergency and it is simply not acceptable in light of this to be destroying habitats, cutting down trees or allowing the mass destruction of our ecosystems at the hands of companies like HS2.

Many in Great Missenden have joined me in my concerns that we have not been properly consulted on any of this. It is hard to get clarity and transparency when our questions aren’t answered, and meetings happen with a chosen few behind closed doors.

“We urge Martin Tett and his colleagues on Buckinghamshire County Council to stop these works immediately. The need is unproven, lives of people and wildlife are being put at risk and we simply don’t want it or the irreversible impact on our environment”.

Lizzy Williams founder of the anti HS2 Movement and former Chair of StopHS2, added: “I was directly involved in getting Alan to Great Missenden last Monday.

“People are finally waking up to the absolute environmental devastation HS2 is causing and more and more protection camps are being formed along the line. I’ve been fighting HS2 since March 2010 and delighted to see the outpouring of resistance in Great Missenden.

“I found myself quite emotional spending time with the camp on Friday reconnecting with long term friends from when we started our fight in 2010.

The shocking thing about these works is that they are being done on behalf of the county council but they are refusing to take responsibility when it is their statutory duty. The County are failing its residents. We will all do everything we can to change this and Save these Trees and everything else we can from HS2. It’s time for action.”

The actor Robert Lindsay also praised the groups protest, saying: "The proposed felling of the Link road trees is another act of HS2 environmental vandalism in the heart of the Chilterns AONB. Best wishes to all the protesters who are trying to stop it."

In response, an HS2 spokesperson said: “One of the biggest challenges facing this country is climate change and road and air travel are significant contributors to this. The most effective way to cut transport carbon emissions in the UK and improve our air quality is to invest in rail, including HS2.

"This is the only way we will get people out of their cars, off domestic flights and take lorries off our congested roads.”