An ambitious project to create and enhance 170 hectares of wood pasture, 4.6kms of hedgerow and new wildlife habitats in the Ullswater valley has begun.
4,000 trees planted by volunteers and Another Way
05/04/2021
Around 4,000 trees have been planted in four days by 80 volunteers and charity Another Way across three sites in Cumbria.
Funded by the Tree Council, via a £1m fund from Network Rail and support from Ullswater Catchment Management CIC, the Another Way team and volunteers planted trees and hedgerows including oak, rowan, blackthorn, hawthorn, hazel, dog rose, bird cherry, crab apple and holly in Matterdale and Watermillock.
Amy Bray, 18, founder of Another Way, said: âThis project is especially important as it is interconnecting existing woodlands with hedgerows.
“While climate change is an extremely threatening issue, it is only the third worst threat to our planet, the first being biodiversity and habitat loss. Increasing wood cover and linking up existing woods will create a much-needed habitat for many UK species which are being squeezed into an ever-smaller area of wilderness.
The work s been done by Highways England at Skitwath Beck, Penruddock, about six miles from Penrith. The project was completed over the summer and will make it easier for fish like brown trout, eels and Atlantic salmon to travel through. This is especially important during the spawning season for salmon and trout when they need to travel upstream to lay eggs. Dion Auriac, Highways England’s project manager, said: This is a small but important project which will help support aquatic biodiversity at a location right along on the A66. It also underlines our commitment to reducing the impact of our roads on the environment.