I don't know a lot about this, but I do know that this gentleman has a central role in formulating the policy for mineral extraction in these local wetlands. A delicate position from which to be shouting, you might think.

I guess he has a right to consider the petition is unnecessary but for someone in County Archaeology to be publically urging "please don't sign it..." is pretty much unprecedented I would have thought. So the best response is to ask him, in the press preferably, why it's so important not to sign a petition to save unendangered or non-existent archaeology.