>From: Pp3mo@aol.com
>Date: Tue, 21 Sep 1999 08:08:32 EDT
>Subject: The Eviction begins at Arthur's wood
>The Eviction begins at Arthur's wood
>
>21/9/1999
>Police and Bailiffs moved in this morning to begin the process of evicting
>protesters from Arthur's wood. Police are putting up fences and sealing the
>site. At least 30 people are up the trees and 4 people are in the tunnel.
>
>An exclusion zone has been set up in the area to prevent people gaining
>access to the site.
>A convoy of riot police (TSG) has been seen moving toward the site.
>
>Supporters of the protest are concerned that the police may be heavy handed
>and ignore potential safety issues when evicting protesters, Jean said:
>"I hope they don't bring heavy machinery into Arthur's wood this could
>seriously threaten the lives of the people down the tunnel"
>
>Arthur's wood is due to be chopped down by Manchester Airport PLC in order to
>satisfy the requirements of the civil aviation authority to provide an
>obstacle limitation surface for Manchester airports second runway.
>
>At the public inquiry into whether permission to build the second runway be
>granted it was clearly stated that Arthur's wood would not be touched, maybe
>another inquiry should be held and presented with the true facts. Friends of
>the Earth Manchester have documentary evidence of this.
>
>According to the National Trust act 1937 work may only be carried out on
>National Trust land if it improves the land, chopping down the trees in
>Arthur's wood by no stretch of the imagination can be seen as improving the
>wood. The plan the National Trust has, to allow some of the wood to regrow
>would mean constant felling to keep the height of the trees below that needed
>for the runway, this would change the nature of the wood for ever. When you
>look at the wood you soon realize that most of the trees would need to be
>felled absolute.
>
>Arthur's wood is very old and has many large trees. When you walk through the
>wood many established species can be seen, a lot of these species can take
>hundreds of years to become established, this diversity will be lost by
>machinery and tree felling which will rip apart the soil structure a crucial
>part of any fragile Eco system.
>
>When you look at the National Trust's leaflet for Quarry Bank Mill which is
>adjacent to the Style Country park you will notice that Manchester Airport
>PLC are sponsors. Obviously some form of deal, back hand or up front has been
>done in order to keep the National Trust on side with Manchester Airport PLC.
>
>ENDS....
>
>For more information contact:
>01612 279014
>01226 764279
>side mobile: 07974-281577
>email: pixi@redbricks.org.uk
>or: pp3mo@aol.com

other contacts:

Vanessa: 0797 4803732 (possible transport to site)

How to get to the site (but remember the police will be trying to stop you!):
Get a bus or train to the airport then walk towards the Cargo Centre and
out onto the A538. Go down  the A538 towards Wilmslow and turn off at the
roundabout onto the Styal Road. Immediately turn right towards the
Moathouse Hotel. Follow the bridlepath on the left hand side to the camp.