Until the Last Oak Falls – a photo essay
In this photo essay, photojournalist Adrian Fisk takes us back to the mid-90s to share rare photos of the direct action environmental movement in the UK. Activists took to the trees and streets to protest against the destruction of the countryside, the construction of new motorways, and the CO2 emissions road traffic was causing. Adrian’s new book Until the Last Oak Falls is an acknowledgement of those who went to extraordinary lengths 25 years ago to warn us of the extreme threat facing our planet.
25 years ago, as a young photojournalist, I camped in a treehouse in Newbury to document the daily lives and daring tactics of activists fighting to save 350 acres of pristine woodland from being felled to make way for a motorway.
Those exceptional protestors literally put their bodies on the line to shout from the treetops that humankind had a choice: destroy nature to pave the way for more roads and carbon-emitting cars, or maintain a planet that could sustain life.
The fact that, since the industrial revolution began in the 1750s, half of all the CO2 emitted has come since those protests 25 years ago is an indication and an indictment of the choices we’ve made. If only we’d listened then…
In the lead up to COP26, I am reflecting on my encounters with an earlier generation of environmental campaigners. My new book Until the Last Oak Falls will be a celebration and acknowledgement of campaigners who, whether scaling a tree in Newbury or a central London column, used their bodies and voices to warn us of the damage we were doing to our planet 25 years ago.
There’s time to listen yet and, although the scale of the ask seems overwhelming (we’re on course to increase emissions by 16% by 2030), newer generations of environmental activists should feel galvanised by the efforts and successes of those on whose shoulders they stand.
While the battle for Newbury and its trees was lost, the cost of policing the site prompted ministers to reverse plans to build 77 other bypasses in the UK, so with their dedication the protesters altered the course of history.
Environmental protests and illegal raves were probably the two greatest expressions of this era: and there was a dynamic interplay between the two. It was at raves that many were for the first time exposed to, and open enough to receive, environmental or activist ideas.
Their heady, joyful mix of politics, environment, fellowship and music are etched forever in the memories of any of us there, and it was a movement that sent shockwaves reverberating through Middle England and one whose influence is felt across a myriad of environmental activist movements today.
Newbury’s legacy has rippled down the decades. The protestors of the 90s were labelled by the government and media as tree huggers, extremists, crusties, nut cases, and scroungers. Their message of 25 years ago to protect the environment and reduce carbon emissions will now be the focus of a crucial climate conference attended by the world’s governments and media.
Until the Last Oak Falls is a collection of powerful, compelling, and important photographs that take us back to where the climate movement began for many.
Share This Article
Other Articles You Might Like
