Grafton Wood Restoration

Grafton Wood in Worcestershire, is the largest of the remnants of Feckenham wood, comprising 150 acres of hazel and ash coppice with oak standards. For the benefit of endangered local biodiversity and especially the nationally endangered Brown Hairstreak butterfly we have helped fund the reintroduction of coppice management and the reopening up of the rides to allow more light to reach the woodland floor. This is encouraging a better flora and therefore more invertebrates such as butterflies.

The Brown Hairstreak butterfly is now extinct from all surrounding counties and survives only in this small corner of Worcestershire breeeding on the sloe bushes around the edges of Grafton Wood and also on blackthorn hedgerows in the surrounding fields.

Woodland restoration including that by neighbouring landowners will continue to greatly assist the preservation of this species.

The Amphibian Sanctuary Project

Earth is facing its largest mass extinction since the disappearance of the dinosaurs with amphibians particularly threatened with up to half their species in danger. Not only are they affected by habitat loss, climate change, pollution and pesticide but they face an even bigger threat from a deadly parasitic fungus known as amphibian chytrid.

Bristol Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in Europe, founded in 1836. It is now a leading education and conservation charity making a significant contribution to conservation in the wild both overseas and in the UK, such as breeding and re-introducing two native species-the Barberry carpet moth and the water vole.

The objective of the Amphibian Sanctuary is to provide a biosecure unit capable of breeding groups of endangered amphibians, while protecting them from the fungus. Also to increase awareness and understanding of amphibian conservation and to integrate the breeding programme with a field project examining how to mitigate the threats in the wild.

It is hoped the project will secure the long-term survival of at least two amphibian species whilst at the same time developing a greater understanding of the amphibian crisis.

Orchard Creation

The Barn Owl Trust carries out a wide range of important activities in pursuit of its main aim, the conservation of the Barn Owl and its environment. This includes practical conservation work, scientific research, the production and distribution of educational material, school visits and the operation of a free national information and advice service and welfare facilities for sick and injured owls.

At the reserve at Waterleat in Devon the Trust is looking to re-plant an old orchard with traditional varieties of apples. This will provide a great source of food all year round for small mammals and in turn Barn Owls. The orchard will be situated next to a 25 acre plot of rough grassland which is ideal hunting habitat. Restore Our Planet have agreed to fund the scrub clearance where the orchard will be located and the purchase of the appropriate trees.

Permanent Christmas Tree for Bancyfelin

Bancyfelin is a rural village of c. 110 houses located 5 miles west of Carmarthen. Over recent years a number of new homes have been built in the village and the number of pupils at the local school has risen significantly. Each year the residents of Bancyfelin obtain a 20/25ft Christmas tree for the village and this is decorated by the St. Clears Town Council. When Christmas is over the tree is removed and taken to the local bakery as wood used to heat the ovens.

An environmentally friendly and less wasteful method of providing the annual Christmas tree has been explored and as a result the Bancyfelin Education Community Trust has decided a permanent tree would be an asset to the village environment all year round.

Restore Our Planet has agreed to fund the purchase of the tree with ongoing maintenance to be undertaken by members of the Bancyfelin village hall.

On completion of the tree purchase and planting a small cash surplus has allowed the village to improve its western approach by organising a further planting of trees on a strip of available land.