Woodland project go ahead
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust recently secured a grant of £5000 from
support services company Carillion. The grant, from their Natural
Habitat Fund, will be used to enhance Ryton Wood Site of
Special Scientific Interest nature reserve for wildlife and
enable the Trust to undertake sustainable woodland management and
contribute to the wood fuel market.
Ryton Wood, near Princethorpe, is one of
the finest woodlands in the county and home to 34 species of
butterfly, including the threatened wood white butterfly, a species
identified for action in Warwickshire's Local Biodiversity Action
Plan.
The grant from Carillion will enable
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust to manage the woodland by creating
areas of young tree growth next to wildflower rich grassland rides
within the wood. Blocks or 'scallops' of the woodland will be cut
alongside grassland rides. This encourages the growth of
wildflowers such as greater bird's foot trefoil in sunny open
conditions suitable for the wood white butterfly within the
woodland.
The grant will enable Warwickshire Wildlife
Trust to do some low impact timber extraction by heavy horse - and
contribute to a low carbon fuel supply chain and fuel wood chip
boilers such as the one at the Trust's base at Brandon Marsh Nature
Centre, near Coventry.
Carillion staff, from the Warwickshire
Highways Maintenance contract will participate in work parties and
the public will be invited to contribute to the project at weekend
work parties and Introductory Conservation Events.
Dates for work parties will be
announced in the near future - keep your eye on the Events pages
here
Ryton Wood is open to the public and
waymarked routes can be accessed through Ryton Pools Country
Park.
Eddie Asbery, Woodland Project Officer
says, " We are over the moon to receive this grant to enable us
to do the project. Ryton Wood is a special place and one of the
largest woodlands in the county. The Carillion grant will enable
essential work to be carried out to benefit the wood white
butterfly and also generally improve the condition of the woodland.
The grant will bring an additional benefit of being able to
supply timber for wood chip central heating systems. Dates will be
announced in the near future inviting people to events where they
can become involved in the management of the wood."
Louise Perry, Carillion plc's Group Head of
Sustainability said, "The Natural Habitats scheme has proved to
be a very successful partnership for both Carillion and The
Wildlife Trusts and we are delighted that this grant will be used
to support Warwickshire Wildlife Trust with this worthy
project"
For further information, please contact
Eddie Asbery on 024 7630 8984
ENDS