A project to transform former conifer plantation into wild native woodland has been given a funding boost.
Funding from the Copeland Community Fund and the government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund has allowed the project to offer two local people full-time jobs as part of the Restoring Hardknott Forest team.
The staff will be involved in everything from site maintenance to tree planting and the removal of non-native tree species, and have already planted and protected hundreds of trees since starting last month.
In partnership with Forestry England, the project has the long-term goal of restoring a 630-hectare site to woodland and other native habitats, such as peat bog and moorland, to the site in the upper reaches of the Duddon Valley in the Lake District.
This has huge benefits for local wildlife, biodiversity and carbon capture.
After her successful application, new Project Assistant Jess Wilson, said: “Working on the Restoring Hardknott Forest project is such an amazing and unique opportunity, I feel very privileged to be joining the team.”
The second successful candidate, John Hincks, a local from Eskdale, said he was pleased to be able to find work close to his home valley, after working for several years away from home.
“It is great to be back, and have the opportunity to make a positive contribution to the management of the local environment through the work we do at Hardknott Forest”.
Project Officer, John Hodgson congratulated the two successful candidates, saying: “We are grateful that the funding provided by the Copeland Community Fund, and the Green Recovery Challenge Fund, has enabled us to employ these talented people. It will enable us to further expand our work to improve our site for nature and for the enjoyment of visitors to the forest”.
