Tring Park
PRESS RELEASE
06 February 2008
TRING PARK TO BE ‘SCRUBBED CLEAR’ THANKS TO LANDFILL COMMUNITIES FUND
Chalk grassland restoration at Tring Park
Tring Park’s precious Chiltern grassland will once again be home to traditional grazing animals thanks to a £17,715 grant from SITA Trust, through the Landfill Communities Fund.
The Woodland Trust, the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity, can now remove scrub and bushes which have invaded 15 hectares (37 acres) of grassland in Tring Park, designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The three-year project, made possible by the extra funding, will result in grazing animals living on Tring Park’s scarp slopes once again, helping to ensure the survival of rare grassland plant species.
Tring Park is a jewel of a site in Hertfordshire, managed by the Woodland Trust since 1993. It covers a total of 107 ha (264.94 acres) and is home to established woodland, wildlife and historic monuments, as well as the small area of characteristic Chilterns chalk grassland which forms part of the chain of chalk grassland sites along the whole Chiltern escarpment.
John Brown, Woodland Trust regional development officer, said: “Although chalk grassland doesn’t sound very exciting, it’s a really important conservation area with rare and endangered plant species that only exist in open, grazed areas like this. I’m really pleased we can work with SITA Trust to restore it over the next three years.”
Marek Gordon, chief executive and managing director, of SITA Trust said “Over the past two years SITA Trust’s Enriching Nature programme has been able to provide over £550,000 of funding to a variety of Woodland Trust projects around the country and we are delighted to support the superb work being done. Projects like this one at Tring Park are essential in ensuring that the natural environment is protected for future generations.”
To find out more about visiting Tring Park, the Woodland Trust, or its woods in Hertfordshire, visit www.woodlandtrust.org.uk or call 01476 581135.
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Notes to editor:
The Woodland Trust: 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
The Landfill Communities Fund (formerly the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme)
1. Landfill tax was introduced in 1996 to encourage more sustainable ways of managing waste
2. The landfill tax legislation also brought about the Landfill Communities Fund. This scheme allows landfill operators to voluntarily donate 6.6% of their landfill tax liability to environmental improvement projects
The Landfill Communities Fund is independently regulated on behalf of HM Government’s Revenue & Customs by ENTRUST.
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