21 December 2006
Take a walk, says Sian Lloyd
…in ‘fabulous’ Wentwood Forest this Christmas
Stumped for ideas on what to do over the Christmas break? TV personality and meteorologist Sian Lloyd has the answer – a walk in Wentwood Forest, near Newport.
Sian, who supports the Woodland Trust’s Christmas Card Recycling Scheme, says: “By recycling your Christmas cards you can spread Christmas cheer and help the Woodland Trust protect our environment for future generations. To enjoy our unique, natural landscape this Christmas visit Wentwood Forest, the ideal place for a fabulous festive walk.”
Every year the Trust runs its Christmas Card Recycling Campaign in partnership with Waste Awareness Wales. This year will be no different with collection bins in WHSmith, Tesco and TK Maxx stores from January 2nd to 31st.
It was with the help of the local community and celebrities like Sian Lloyd that the Trust managed to save Wentwood Forest, which is now being gradually restored to its former broadleaved glory whilst remaining open for the public to explore. Wentwood is the biggest ancient woodland in Wales. The first conifers were planted at Wentwood by 1880 and the majority of its native trees had been cut down by the end of World War II. They provided an invaluable supply of timber for the first and second World Wars. When the woodland was replanted in the 1950s and 1960s, the natural broadleaf splendour was replaced with non-native conifers, damaging much of the remaining woodland habitat. Work is now underway to restore the site. Wentwood forest can be found 5 km east of Newport and access is via the A48, but for detailed directions visit www.wentwoodforest.org.uk
To find your nearest wood, all of which are open free of charge to the public, and details of Wentwood Forest, visit
www.woodland-trust.org.uk/walks
Sue Holden, chief executive of the woodland trust, said: ”Very often our nearest wood may be less than a mile away from our homes, but we don’t know they’re open to be explored. By logging on to our site, it’s easy. More than 1,000 of our woods throughout the UK are open to the public with maps how to find them. A frosty woodland walk is a great way to burn off that Christmas pudding and blow the cobwebs away!”
IMAGES: For an image of Sian Lloyd, visit www.woodland-trust.org.uk/walks click on her picture to enlarge and then download it. One medium resolution of Sian Lloyd in Wentwood is being sent with this release. The Photographer is Mark Cavendish.
For media enquiries contact:
Rory Francis (Publicity and Public Affairs Officer for Wales) on 01766 832563 or 07760 171174
Afallon, Tanygrisiau, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd LL41 3RH
Email roryfrancis@woodland-trust.org.uk
Or Natalie Clark, Corporate PR & Communications Officer, on 01476 581112, email: natalieclark@woodland-trust.org.uk
Or The Woodland Trust Press Office email media@woodland-trust.org.uk or Tel 01476 581121
Notes for editors
The Woodland Trust Christmas Card Recycling Scheme.
The cards collected in stores are taken to Tesco, WHSmith and TK Maxx depots, where they are collected by their own recycling agents (Severnside for Tesco, SCA Recycling for WHSmith and TK Maxx). The cards are then graded and taken to recycling plants where they are treated and eventually turned into new products such as tissue paper, photocopy paper or corrugated cardboard.
Nottinghamshire County Council contacts local authorities on behalf of The Woodland Trust and facilitates the collecting of recycling credits from those authorities which have agreed to pay The Woodland Trust for waste that does not have to be disposed of in landfill sites.
Recycling Credits
A Recycling Credit is the value of the saving made by the County Council in NOT having to landfill any household waste that is recycled. The County Council chooses to pay this saving in disposal costs back to any voluntary or community groups that are involved in collecting household waste for recycling (in the case of the CCRS – the Woodland Trust) because they wish to promote recycling in their area. The value of the credit varies across the different Districts due to differences in disposal costs, and is paid for each tonne of household waste that is recycled. The value of the credit increases each year with RPI (Retail Price Index) and with any increases in Landfill Tax.
Waste Awareness Wales
Waste Awareness Wales is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government to promote waste reduction, reuse and recycling amongst all sectors of the community. To learn more about how you can help visit www.wasteawarenesswales.org.uk or call WAW's 'recycle for Wales/ailgylchu dros Gymru' recycling hotline on 0845 330 5540.
Coed Cadw (The Woodland Trust)
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 250,000 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 awareness 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). These include over 100 sites in Wales, with a total area of 1,580 hectares (3,900 acres). It offers free public access to nearly all of its sites. Further news can be accessed via www.coed-cadw.org.uk The Trust adopted a new Welsh language name in 2000: “Coed Cadw”. This is an old Welsh term, used in medieval laws to describe protected or preserved woodland.
