Guerilla gardener's green protest - 22/12/09

A vigilante tree planter has planted almost 200 trees next to a secondary school rugby pitch in protest to the local council's plans to build a supermarket on the playing fields.

Anthony Perrett, a local forester and tree surgeon, appears to have struck a blow for local environmental campaigners opposed to the scheme after Monmouthshire County Council conceded that they could not remove the newly-planted trees as they belonged to Mr Perrett.

However, pupils at Caldicot School have also felt the repercussions of Mr Perrett's enthusiastic protest after the trees were deemed a safety hazard, halting all rugby games until they have been removed.

Mr Perrett planted rows of broadleaf saplings, native hazel, crab apple, sweet chestnut and walnut trees under the cloak of darkness, and has no intention of removing his handiwork.

"I didn't have permission at all," he said.

"This was a statement against the environmental policies exercised by Monmouthshire County Council.

"Their environmental policy has been less than necessary."

Monmouthshire County Council leader Peter Fox said: "Ideally, we would like to offer the trees to the Gwent Wildlife Trust who said they'd be delighted to have the trees, however, they are still the property of Mr Perrett."

Guerilla gardener's green protest - 22/12/09

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