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This episode Jessica Townsend and Ferghal McEntee  look at some brave people putting their lives on the line to protect trees both in the UK and in the Amazon.  

We begin with the fierce anti-felling poem Heartwood written and read by Robert Macfarlane to honour all those doing this great work and the trees they love. The recording we use is of the well-loved author speaking in Trafalgar Square in 2018 as part of the inaugural Writers Rebel event. 

Then we interview Larch, or Dr Larch Maxey, a key figure in the HS2 protests who is, at the time of this podcast, literally holed up in a tunnel underneath Euston Square Gardens. He speaks to us about his love of the natural world and relationship with trees which motivate his work.

To donate in support of this work:   https://chuffed.org/project/stophs2ateuston

Next up is Beth Pitts author of the Moon ethical Guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands who has been working with indigenous communities in Ecuador since 2013. She is also part of the Writers Rebel team. Here she shares interviews and recordings she has made about the guardians of the forest and the Ceibo tree. One of the interviewees describes what the guardians look like.

If you wish to support the work of Jimmy who has set up an NGO to educate youth in the Ecuadorian rainforest this is the link:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/siekopai-indigenous-amazonian-youth-foundation

Our last interview is with Natasha Somers and Mark Shipperlee from XR Rewilding and the Save the Oaks campaign who are trying to save 750,000 oak trees which are threatened with destruction because of COVID. Marijn Van De Geer one of the podcast founders asks the questions and the interview was first broadcast on Rebel Radio.

https://savetheoaks.org

Producer and editor – Bill Leuty
Producer and presenter – Jessica Townsend
Presenter – Fergal McEntee

Interviewer – Marijn Van De Geer

Further editing and producing – Michaela
Social Media – Brigitta Bence