News

Group Environmental Project Close to Completion

The latest stage in the Group?s ?250k Environmental Project: a re-development of 13 acres of poor quality farmland situated to the rear of our head office complex has been completed. 3,200 trees comprising native English deciduous species (Silver Birch, Alder, White Willow, Poplar, Black Poplar, Spindle, Wild Cherry, Field Maple, Ash, Hornbeam, Hazel, Oak, Hawthorn, Aspen, Downy Birch) have now been planted.  The planting has been part funded by the Forestry Commission?s ?English Woodland Creation? grant scheme and we are having further meetings with a representative of the Commission to discuss the potential of the new woodland.

All stock has been sourced from the local seed provenance zone and has been supplied as 2 year transplants at 40-60cm in height. The tubes used to protect the trees are all photo-degradable, which means within 5 years they should to start to change in colour from green to a lighter green/white.  10 years on they will be very brittle and be easily incorporated into the ground, leaving very little impact.

We look forward to watching the land develop from a sea of green tubes to a thriving and valuable ecosystem in its own right; one which will be of great benefit to the natural environment of our surrounding area, our staff and the people living around us.

The next stages include stocking the 1 acre lake with native fish species (due to happen early January ?09) creating a 1 acre amenity lawn, creating a 1 acre of wild flower meadow around the lake and completing two miles of footpaths that weave in and out of the trees.  The foot paths are being created using recycled building waste.