In autumn 2008 Biffaward celebrated the gift of £100 million spent through the Landfill Communities Fund. Biffaward have provided nearly £1 million for thirteen Woodland Trust projects over the last ten years. Two such projects are:
Penguin Wood at Botany Bay – 263 hectares (650 acres) of Thriving Habitat
In 2006 the Woodland Trust had the fantastic opportunity to buy 38 hectares (96 acres) of land at Botany Bay, Linton to link to 650 acres of existing woodland and other habitats in the heart of The National Forest. The name Botany Bay is rumoured to come from the area being used as a staging post for shipping convicts to Australia many years ago.
Biffaward gave the fund £40,000 needed for the purchase of the site and a further £10,000 for site works.
The site is taking shape and the trees were planted in 2007 with the help of local people and school children. The National Forest, South Derbyshire District Council, Penguin Books and local people also contributed funding to allow us to purchase the site. The site is now known as Penguin Wood at Botany Bay.
Sculpting the Future in Wood
Broxbourne Wood National Nature Reserve (NNR) incorporates two Woodland Trust sites, Wormley Wood and Hoddesdon Park Wood, in a very busy area of Hertfordshire. It lies within London’s Green Belt where quiet space is at a premium. The Woodland Trust worked with Hertfordshire County Council and with funding from Biffaward and the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Eight new pathways make up a walkers’ trail, now linking together four previously fragmented ancient woodland areas.
A local artist was commissioned to produce eight brilliant wooden sculptures including life-size wild boar, seeds and roman centurions to be placed along the award winning woodland trail.