In 1996, months after the destruction of nearly 1,000 mature trees to make way for the Newbury bypass in southern England, a new forest began to emerge. Clear of the canopy’s shadow, new seedlings – oak, silver birch, sweet chestnut – had found space to grow.
The ‘Third Battle of Newbury’ was the culmination of a four-year campaign, and the biggest fight of Britain’s anti-road movement, Through the harsh winter, protesters lived in tree-houses and tunnels, creating over 30 camps. The trees were eventually felled in early 1996 but construction didn’t begin properly until the summer – when the young trees had sprouted.
