Warwickshire couple Brian and Janette Hallett are the UK’s first landowners to have a new native broadleaf wood planted on their land as part of the Woodland Trust’s groundbreaking MOREwoods project.
They have worked with the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity, via its new MOREwoods project to encourage as many people as possible to plant native trees on their own land.
MOREwoods is being supported by Warwick-based Calor Gas, which is providing £250,000 over three years. In year one, £100,000 of Calor’s investment will go towards the £1 million costs of developing and delivering a project to plant 500,000 trees on other people’s land this coming winter – 50,000 of which will be planted from Calor’s contribution.
Clare Ollerenshaw, Trust project manager for MOREwoods, said: “We want to work with landowners of all types to plant as much woodland as possible in order to realise our long term vision of doubling native UK woodland.
“We are delighted the Halletts are our first MOREwoods woodland planters and would like to thank them for their involvement, as well as Calor for its enormous contribution to the scheme. This new native woodland in Warwickshire through MOREwoods will provide an invaluable haven for local wildlife in an area of relatively low woodland cover.”
Warwickshire has just 4.7% woodland cover compared to the UK average of 12%. Of this woodland cover, less than half is native woodland.
On October 6, the Halletts planted a ceremonial first tree of what will become their new wood – helped by Calor Managing Director Stephen Rennie.
Speaking about Calor‘s involvement Mr Rennie said: “We are delighted to be supporting the Woodland Trust across a number of areas and in particular working with them to deliver the MOREwoods scheme. Calor is committed to the countryside, with three quarters of our business based in rural areas, and we hope that MOREwoods will both enhance local communities and help address a range of important environmental issues.”
Mr and Mrs Hallett applied direct to the MOREwoods scheme, which offers advice, practical help and, in some cases, funding for trees.
The Halletts, who live in Daventry and have been prompted by a desire to improve wildlife habitat, will be planting 1,000 native trees on the site near Southam including oak, ash, hazel, cherry and hawthorn
So far 110 landowners have been successful with applications to MOREwoods – supported by a new specialist web advisory area www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/planting
To enquire about planting a wood, visit MOREwoods.