Yorkshire Dales woodland scheme gets £120k cash boost (From Craven Herald)
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Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust awarded money from SITA Trust
12:47pm Thursday 19th January 2012 in Countryfile
The Yorkshire Dales is set to receive a financial boost to support the creation of new native woodlands over the next two years.
Clapham-based charity Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT) has been awarded £120,000 for woodland restoration from SITA Trust – an independent ethical funder dedicated to making lasting improvements to the natural environment and community life.
YDMT is now looking for suitable woodland creation sites across the Yorkshire Dales and would be happy to hear from any landowners who may be interested in creating traditional woodlands planted with a mixture of native broadleaf species.
Depending on the specific details of each potential site, a grant of up to 100 per cent of the cost could be available to landowners.
Chris Lodge, woodland development officer at YDMT, said: “We’re appealing to farmers and landowners with any possible sites for planting to come forward. Planting trees is a vital long term investment in the environment, and together, thanks to this significant grant awarded by SITA Trust, we really will be able to make a huge difference to the future of the Yorkshire Dales landscape.”
The long term benefits of planting trees are well documented, including absorbing carbon dioxide, enriching the landscape, providing spaces for people to enjoy, and creating habitats that support hundreds of wildlife species.
Jools Granville, of SITA Trust, said: “We are delighted that our funding will enable this vital project to go ahead and look forward to seeing the benefits in the years to come.”
Only around 2.5 per cent of the Yorkshire Dales National Park is covered with native broadleaf trees compared with the national average of 4.8 per cent, and the aim is to almost double the amount of broadleaf cover in the national park to 5,000 hectares by 2020.
If you are interested in taking part, contact Chris Lodge on 015242 51002 or email chris.lodge@ydmt.org.
