Protesters climb trees to protect threatened British woodland

UNITED KINGDOM: A group of environmental campaigners were living in treetops on Monday to prevent a woodland from being razed to make way for a housing development.

The Protect Our Woodland group set up camp in tree-houses in Titnore Wood in Durrington, West Sussex, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) southwest of London.

The 12 campaigners have taken up residence in two 30-foot (9-meter) high tree-houses to prevent 210 trees from being chopped down, to allow 875 homes to be built, the group said.

Titnore Wood contains oak, ash, birch and willow trees and has been designated as a Site of Nature Conservation Importance by the local council.

Landowner Clem Somerset was quoted by a local newspaper as saying that he will try to get the protesters off the site as quickly as possible.

"I am taking legal advice and will be taking court action to get them removed," he was quoted as telling The Argus newspaper.

Police visited the site on Sunday to check for damage.

The protesters called on more supporters to join them and set up more tree-houses.

London, AP