Page 17 - August 2016 WN complete final version
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Four Our Bright Future projects         Cornwall wt                                                                                            wneLoilawrdtgesli/safnteneUtdrwKui-sswssutisde.es:

Your Shore Beach Rangers                                                                              Hackney transformed

Cornwall Wildlife Trust                                                                                                   In life, it is all too easy to take things
                                                                                                                          for granted. I grew up near some
Young people will increase                                                                                                woods and was allowed to venture
their knowledge of the                                                                                                    wherever I wanted. I took this contact
marine ecosystem and be                                                                                                   with the natural world as a given,
more aware of their ability                                                                                               running wild with my brothers and
to make a positive                                                                                    friends. It wasn’t until my twenties that I realised how
contribution to the health                                                                            lucky I had been.
of their marine                                                                                           By then I was living in the most nature-deprived
environment. They will also                                                                           part of north London. The lifeless, closely-mown grass
improve their employment                                                                              and wide tarmac paths of the local formal park didn’t
prospects through                                                                                     do it for me. I paced the streets until I found a tiny little
increased life skills.                                                                                pocket of wild land at Gillespie Park, and would walk
                                                                                                      for miles along the canal to Camley Street Natural Park.
Bee You                                                                Bee You will train young           In 2016 something spectacular changed in this
                                                                       people in the art of           area. A real wildlife oasis, hidden from the public for
blackbuRne house education                                             beekeeping along with          nearly 200 years was opened up: Woodberry Wetlands.
                                                                       teaching entrepreneurial       A reservoir surrounded by reeds and paths where wild
                                                     blackbuRne house  skills to help take honey and  plants, insects and birds thrive, all about 500 yards
                                                                       other products to market.      from my first flat. It had been there all along. But it
                                                                       The project will help to       wasn’t until London Wildlife Trust inspired Thames
                                                                       improve local                  Water to open the gates and drew in Berkeley Homes
                                                                       neighbourhood green            and Heritage Lottery Fund that everything changed.
                                                                       spaces and make them               Local children, deprived of so much that I took for
                                                                       better for wildlife.           granted when I was their age, now have somewhere to
                                                                                                      play that is alive with wildlife. Now they can see herons
Milestones                wiltshire wt                                                                and hear reed warblers on their doorstep.
                                                                                                          Our President Emeritus was there to hail the
wiltshire Wildlife Trust                                                                              opening of Woodberry. “It’s David Attenborough!” a
                                                                                                      child shrieked in amazement as the great man walked
Milestones will help young                                                                            along the path. “No-one at school will believe I’ve seen
people to build trust and                                                                             him here!”
foster an appreciation of                                                                                 Sir David explained that he valued this place as
the environment through                                                                               much as he valued the rainforest; that he believed the
the creation of community                                                                             courtship rituals of the great crested grebe to be as
green spaces. This                                                                                    fascinating as those of birds of paradise; that our
approach has been shown                                                                               natural heritage was the most special inheritance we
to have beneficial effects                                                                            have; that everyone deserved to know and love
on well-being, behaviour                                                                              wildlife, and that Northeast Londoners should be no
and social integration.                                                                               exception. Thanks to London Wildlife Trust, they aren’t
                                                                                                      any more.
 Growing Up Green                                    hill holt wood    This project focuses on            Thank you so much for supporting your Wildlife
                                                                       environmental land             Trust to make such transformations possible.
  hill holt wood                                                       management and eco-
                                                                       construction, to build young   Stephanie Hilborne OBE
find out more                                                          people’s engagement with       Chief Executive of The Wildlife Trusts
See all 31 projects at ourbrightfuture.                                both their natural and built
co.uk. Young people can get involved                                   environment. Starting in       If your family or friends share your interest in wildlife please
via the website, or email                                              Lincolnshire, it will expand   encourage them to join their nearest Wildlife Trust. There
ourbrightfuture@wildlifetrusts.org                                     into other counties,           are 47 Wildlife Trusts across the UK with over 800,000
                                                                       developing valuable            members. We are the largest UK voluntary organisation
                                                                       skills for a wide range of     dedicated to conserving all the UK’s habitats and species.
                                                                       young people.                   
                                                                                                      For links to all Wildlife Trusts go to wildlifetrusts.org
August 2016
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