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20 Oct 2011 08:09
750,000 tree seeds sown in UK's largest new native woodland
Over 400 school children from across Hertfordshire will be helping scatter three quarters of a million native tree seeds at the Woodland Trust's Heartwood Forest. The scattering began on Monday and is taking place throughout the week.
The 'direct seeding' is part of the creation of what will become the largest new native woodland in England at over 850 acres, a significant contribution towards the charity's aim of doubling native woodland cover across the UK. The Trust has already planted over 200,000 trees on site and by spring next year will be over half way to its target of planting 600,000 trees.
Louise Neicho is the site manager for the Woodland Trust: "We believe doubling native woodland cover is hugely important for wildlife and the environment, but equally so for people. Educating children about their role, tree planting, and the difference they can make to the future of our trees and woods is therefore crucial."
The direct seeding is in its second year and will see a range of species of seed scattered by local school children, including hand picked acorns, as well as ash, hazel, wild cherry and silver birch amongst others. The process involves trees seeds being sown at high density in a random fashion on prepared ground. The resultant effect is dense woodland dominated by oak with diverse shrub understorey and a random, natural appearance.
Gillian French, Biffaward Programme Manager, said “Our natural environment must be protected, which is why Biffaward is delighted to support organisations like the Woodland Trust who work tirelessly to conserve our landscape. The work carried out will bring huge benefits to the habitats and increase wildlife that lives within them.”
As part of the creation of Heartwood Forest the Woodland Trust has also claimed the largest ever single grant awarded by the Forestry Commission, with over £235,000 being claimed in 2011 alone.
The charity has recently embarked on the 'Jubilee Woods' project to mark The Queen's Diamond Jubilee by planting 6 million trees across the UK.
Heartwood Forest is supported by individual donors, Disney Store UK, charitable trusts the Forestry Commission and Biffaward.
Notes to Editors:
Biffaward
In 1997 Biffa Waste Services agreed to donate landfill tax credits to the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT) to administer under the fund name Biffaward. Grants made from the fund currently amount to £100 million, supporting many worthwhile projects.
Biffa Waste Services Limited is one of the largest single suppliers of waste management services in the UK. It collects, treats, recovers and disposes of municipal, commercial and industrial waste nationwide. It is ultimately owned by a private equity consortium comprising Montagu Private Equity, Global Infrastructure Partners, Uberior Co-Investments Limited and other co-investors.
The landfill tax came into operation in 1996. Its purpose is to reflect the impact of landfill on the environment and also to help achieve the targets for more sustainable waste management. The tax, levied on the tonnage of all material disposed of in landfill sites and collected by Biffa on behalf of HM Revenue and Customs, aims to encourage recycling and reduce waste by raising the cost of disposal.
The regulations allow landfill site operators to direct approximately 6% of the tax they have collected towards approved environmental projects. However, any approved project can only receive 90% of its desired funding from the landfill tax. The remainder must come direct from the landfill site operator or from a third party organisation or company.
The Forestry Commission is a government department responsible for protecting, expanding and promoting the sustainable management of woodlands and increasing their value to society and the environment.
Disney Stores UK
Disney Store Europe is the wholly owned retail business of The Walt Disney Company, one of the world’s largest and most successful entertainment companies, and part of Disney Consumer Products, the business segment that extends the Disney brand to merchandise. Established in November 1990, Disney Store Europe currently operates more than 100 Disney Stores throughout the UK, France, Spain, Italy and Portugal, and an online store, disneystore.co.uk, offering a magical shopping experience, including quality and exclusive merchandise that supports Disney’s key new releases and franchises
For more information contact:
About Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity championing native woods and trees. It has more than 300,000 members and supporters and its three key aims are: i) to enable the creation of more native woods and places rich in trees ii) to protect native woods, trees and their wildlife for the future iii) to inspire everyone to enjoy and value woods and trees. Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). Access to its sites is free.