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Funding Boost for Warwickshire’s Woodland

by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust
Date: 15/02/2012

Woodland wildlife in Warwickshire is set to benefit from a £92,503 funding boost from SITA Trust.

Warwickshire Wildlife Trust has today received this grant to enhance wildlife in the ancient woods of the Princethorpe area. These special woodlands form one of the Trust's key project areas - known as a Living Landscape area - and Princethorpe is the most important area for ancient woodlands and woodland wildlife in Warwickshire.

SITA Trust provides funding through the Landfill Communities Fund. Funding is available for community and environmental groups to carry out a range of improvement projects.

The funding will enable volunteers and landowners to make a real difference to the quality of the countryside between Cubbington and Coombe Country Park. Some of the woods in this area, such as Ryton and Wappenbury, are Warwickshire Wildlife Trust nature reserves, already managed for rare plants and butterflies such as the Wood White and Purple Emperor.

Now the project will bring further improvements to these woods as well as promoting conservation management in other woods across the area. The funding will enable the restoration of 12 hectares of woodland and will help the Trust and landowners to plant up and restore hedgerows.

The project will also improve our knowledge and understanding of the surrounding network of hedgerows, some of which could have a medieval origin. Old hedgerows are key features because they act as important links between the woodlands - and so a major survey to identify and map the network of hedges will be launched as part of the project.

This will not only identify the best surviving wildlife hedges but also reveal where there are opportunities for hedge restoration and improvement - such as gap-planting or hedge-laying.

Warwickshire Wildlife Trust will recruit and train volunteers to take part in the surveys and there will be opportunities for helping to manage the woods and hedges. The Trust is very keen to work with landowners who are interested in finding out more about their hedgerows or who already have information available that they can share.

Gina Rowe, Head of Living Landscapes for Warwickshire Wildlife Trust said: "We are delighted that SITA Trust is supporting this project. It is a major step towards enriching the wildlife of this wonderful woodland landscape."

Steven Falk, Warwickshire Wildlife Trust's Woodlands Restoration Officer said: "This is a great opportunity for people to help to shape this incredibly valuable patch of Warwickshire and learn more about the wildlife and the history of the local landscape. Please get in touch if you'd like to take part in the project."

Jools Granville of SITA Trust said "SITA Trust is committed to supporting projects that enrich nature, enhance communities and engage people and to date we have funded more than 3000 such projects to a combined value of over £85 million. We hope that this fantastic project will provide significant benefits for wildlife, volunteers and the wider public!"

For more information please contact:
Woodlands Restoration Officer: Steven Falk
steven.falk@wkwt.org.uk
024 7630 8998

If you have any questions or require more information about this press release, please contact Warwickshire Wildlife Trust by email.

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