How Oxleas Woods became a 'line in the sand' for the environmental movement

Magic mushrooms in Oxleas Woods. Photo: Rashmee Roshan Lall

One can only hope that Oxleas Woods does not need, once again, to serve as a “line in the sand” for the environmental movement.

Thirty years ago, it did.

Big time.

As Jonathan Bray, founder and convenor of the Oxleas Strategy Group, describes in his blog, the ancient woodland faced an existential threat from the government’s Roads to Prosperity plan. The proposed East London River Crossing looked as if it would go ahead but the movement to oppose it was equally determined.

Mr Bray writes: “Like all the best campaigns we fought on every level. There were letter-writing stalls at the popular Greenwich market, politicians were systematically lobbied and a well-presented public transport alternative was drawn-up. We organised an ‘Adopt-a- Tree’ scheme; the aim here was to get every tree in Oxleas Wood adopted. As well as bringing in funds and publicity, it would give supporters a real stake in the campaign. And if the worst came to th…