SELAR NATURE

Opposition to the 880 acre opencast mine proposed for Selar Nature 
Reserve in South Wales, UK is still going strong.
The watermeadows have largely been destroyed by Celtic Energy, the 
mining company responsible but they now face the task of removing a 
growing number of people from several hundred mature oak trees. 
At least 30 tree houses have been constructed in the trees and a 
massive network of aerial walkways, designed to allow rapid access 
to any tree under threat has been constructed. 
Numbers of people at the camp vary between 5 and about 200, 
depending largely on the weather and whether or not there is a party on at 
the weekend! Local support is also going well with a local residents 
support group being set up to ensure adequate supplies of food and 
materials. Most of the long term tree dwellers now have "foster 
parents" in the village (Cwymgrach) who invite them round for tea and 
a bath! 

Having dug into the site and prepared for potential eviction, thoughts 
are now turning to a more pro-active approach. Getting out and 
"lobbying" Celtic Energy, rather than waiting for them to come to us.
 Actions against some of there working opencast sites are being 
planned.

A camp on another proposed site has been established 10 miles from the present 
one. Walkways and baracading of derelict farm houses has occured but 
numbers are presently low. Active people are desperately needed to 
help establish the camp.

The camp mobile phone is presently out of action at Selar, but should 
soon be working again. At present for further info contact Cardiff 
Earth First! 01222 383363. However, it is hoped that a camp office 
will soon be set up.

As an elderly local woman at the camp said to me last week, " They've 
been destroying this beautiful land for too long. Now our children 
are rising up to stop it. Mother Nature is striking back."

(august 1995)

