Local children help to create colourful wildflower meadow
Woodland Trust staff and youngsters played a major role in sowing wildflower seed at Londonthorpe Wood, near Grantham.
The Woodland Trust, the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity, along with school children from Belmont Primary School, local governor Peter Armstrong and parish councillors visited Londonthorpe Wood, near Grantham to sow wildflower seeds on Tuesday 10 October as part of the innovative “Forest of Flowers” project.
The project aims to create beautiful new wildflower meadows for all to enjoy at the 63 hectare (154-acre) site virtually on the doorstep of the Woodland Trust’s Grantham headquarters.
Londonthorpe Wood was planted between 1993 and 1995 with thousands of native trees which have thrived and grown tremendously. But it is now hoped the new wildflower project will create an even greater diversity of wildlife and prompt renewed interest.
The wildflower meadows will be made possible by using a creative conservation technique called Break New Ground which involves ploughing up to one metre deep – a method that Landlife, a creative conservation charity, is pioneering across the country with the help of the Woodland Trust and DEFRA.
The seven year old school children assisted by Woodland Trust staff took part in sowing wildflower seed and bluebells at Londonthorpe Wood morning from 10.30am to 12.30pm on October 10 2006. Journalists and photographers attended the site to capture the event.
Londonthorpe Wood lies on the edge of Grantham abutting the town’s industrial estate, the National Trust’s Belton Park property and the adjacent Woodland Trust Alma Park property. Grid reference: SK943375. OS 1:50,000 Sheet No. 130.
Notes to Editors
For media enquiries only contact:
The Woodland Trust Press Office on 01476 581121, e-mail: media@woodland-trust.org.uk
For further details about the event:
Contact Clare Burnside on 01476 581111 or 07770 943201 or clareburnside@woodland-trust.org.uk
The Woodland Trust:
1. The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters. The Trust has four key aims: i) No further loss of ancient woodland; ii) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods; iii) Increasing new native woodland; iv) Increasing people’s understanding and enjoyment of woodland. 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. Further news can be found at www.woodland-trust.org.uk
2. For information on seed collecting during the BBC’s Autumnwatch to tie in with Seed Gathering Season, visit www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces
3. Landlife a registered environment charity, working mainly in urban and urban fringe areas, to bring nature and people closer together. By using simple wildflower mixes, based on common core species, aiming to create wildlife areas which have sustainable links to their communities. The charities main aims are i) Develop and support creative conservation sites. ii) Bring people and wildlife closer together. iii) Promote better understanding of wildflowers and wildlife.
