Green peaks

The Peak District Sustainable Development Fund has awarded a series of grants to create community orchards, a new woodland walk and wildflower meadows around schools. Some of the projects benefitting are:

•a new 12-mile Tree Trail around Bollington, with 10 circular walks taking in 11 ancient woodlands. This is part of the “Walking for Health” initiative set up by the Bridgend Community Centre, and much of the work will be done by volunteers from the centre.

•the Hayfield Community Orchard Project, organised by Hayfield Parish Council, which aims to create a series of village orchards, involving schoolchildren and youth groups in their cultivation. The youngsters will learn new skills, the trees will help absorb greenhouse gases, and the fruit will help promote healthy eating and local food-sourcing.

•the cleverly-named Off-Peak Energy, a new not-for-profit company which is hoping to develop a local wood-fuel supply-chain for environmentally-friendly boilers. It will organise a group of local growers and produced wood-chip from woodlands managed for biodiversity and recreation.

•Priestley Farmers and Haulage Contractors, who collect hay-meadow seed from high-quality sites in the Peak District National Park. The seed will be used for hay-meadow enhancement projects throughout the Peak District. Hay-meadows – which provide diverse habitats for wild flowers, insects, birds and mammals – have dwindled drastically in the past 50 years.

“These projects are living proof that Peak District communities are serious about looking after their environment” says Harry Bowell, chair of the fund’s independent allocation panel. “It’s particularly heartening to see them getting young people involved to ensure a brighter long-term future. We’re glad to be able to offer support to such vital projects.”

For more, visit www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/sdf

Photo: Walkers in Hayfield, c/o the Peak District National Park Authority.