The following statement was issued by Tilfen Land in respect of works undertaken to protect its environmental improvement programme at Veridion Park following incidents of vandalism and damage to the land:
“We are totally confident the works we have undertaken will not raise or lower either local water levels or those on the Thames Water Nature Reserve as they are wholly unconnected to it. The works have had no ecological or hydrological impacts and have been undertaken solely to protect the land, and in particular the ecology on the land from ongoing vandalism and damage.
“The historic unlawful use of the land for grazing resulted in hundreds of trees in the woodland belt being killed by horses eating the bark as well as damage to Cross Dyke 2. Following the legal action we took in 2008 to secure the removal of the horses, Cross Dyke 2 has been recovering and there are now signs of water vole activity as is the case in the new sections of dyke created by Tilfen Land in the past few years.
“In April this year we completed the planting of 1484 new trees and 4314 woodland understory plants in the tree belt along the southern boundary of the property, this being the first phase of a long term woodland management plan for the area aimed at bringing about substantial ecological enhancements.
“Despite repeated attempts to secure the site boundary the metal fencing has been regularly vandalised by people with disc cutters whose principal aim is to joy ride on the land using quad bikes and motorbikes (often set on fire after use) causing damage to the land and in particular to the woodland belt and Cross Dyke 2.
“Following wanton damage to 95 new trees within two weeks of planting we took urgent steps to make access to the land with motorised vehicles more difficult in the interest of protecting the existing ecology and new planting.”
