Some good news for a change!

Mon 28 Mar 2022, 21:41 (last edited on Mon 28 Mar 2022, 21:52)

Blenheim estates are partnering with the contractors  Morgan Sindall to plant new trees ,  the initiative includes provision of a drainage scheme within the Glypmpton valley. It is privately funded as part of corporate sustainability responsibility initiative. 

Mon 28 Mar 2022, 09:20 (last edited on Mon 28 Mar 2022, 11:43)

As long as trees are being planted that's the important thing and may be even if it is public money being used, it saves each of us going out to purchase and plant a tree ourselves? 

There are worse things happening in the world. Let's be positive.

Sun 27 Mar 2022, 12:52 (last edited on Sun 27 Mar 2022, 12:54)

The Glympton Estate includes 2000 acres of land, not just the park. 

I thought it quite possible that it reached far enough east to the River Dorn (2 miles away). 

However, prompted by Steve's query, I have now found a better map and description of the project, and see that the designated land looks as if it is all part of the Blenheim Estate: https://forestcanopyfoundation.co.uk/dorn-glyme-valley-case-study/

Just makes one realise how much land the Blenheim Estate owns which is outside the boundary of Blenheim Park! they are looking to recruit other landowners to the project, by the way.

Sun 27 Mar 2022, 11:59

Perhaps I'm being a little unsophisticated in my understanding of this, but I don't see how any grant for Blenheim Estate to plant oak woodlands on condition of public access can include any on the grounds of Glymptom Park.

From the BBC map, the new woodlands will not extend past Wootton along the river Glyme, which I suspect falls short of the Glymptom Park estate, as will the new woodlands along the lower reaches of the river Dorn.

The bad news is that many of us will be long gone before these oaks will reach any degree of maturity.

Sun 27 Mar 2022, 11:18

I wonder how much of the money is being paid to the king of Bahrain Mr Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa who bought Glympton Park for £120m from Prince Bandar bin Sultan of Saudi Arabia in February 2021. The company, wholly owned by members of the Bahrain royal family, is registered in Jersey. Despite being foreign owned, Glympton Park claimed £25,000 of taxpayer-funded furlough support in December 2020.

The Guardian story about the sale is here: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/apr/05/saudi-prince-sells-cotswolds-estate-to-king-of-bahrain-for-120m

The saplings and acorns that Blenheim are planting are not in the grounds of Blenheim itself, but along the banks of the rivers Glyme and Dorn where we find the 2000 acres of land that are owned by the King and Crown Prince of Bahrain. According to Wikipedia, the estate includes the 18th-century Glympton House, as well as 39 cottages, a Norman parish church and 167 acres of parkland.

A nice YouTube on Glympton House and its history, including how to access the estate on a public right of way, is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x482CudCxok

Sat 26 Mar 2022, 18:47

Less than £4 a tree? Not bad at all.

Sat 26 Mar 2022, 18:16

Well, good, of course, but I wonder at the state of the Blenheim finances that it is receiving about £1m of public money for this.  In other words our money.

"The Blenheim Estate has received a government grant of about £1m to plant 270,000 trees in the nine new woodlands covering 1sq km (0.6 miles) in an inaugural scheme paying landowners to create forests with public access."

Sat 26 Mar 2022, 15:18

1,000-year-old oaks used to create 'super forest':

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-60617810

Not only is Blenheim planting 270,000 trees to create nine new woodlands locally – featuring wide variety of broadleaf and conifer trees – but the woods will have paths for public access!

Fantastic.