parks £110m revamp for English rivers peTe hayman


Environment secretary Caroline Spelman has revealed that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is to invest £110m in overhauling England’s rivers. Te funding is to be used


to launch restoration schemes worth £600m across the coun- try in a bid to improve the health of more than 800 lakes, steams and other waterways. A total of £92m is planned


over the coming four years in order to remove non-native invasive weeds and animals, as well as to clean up pollution and to remove redundant dams, weirs and landings. Cash will be shared by the Environment


Te Defra funding will be used to launch restoration schemes on rivers A further £18m is to go towards helping


Agency, Natural England and organisations such as the Association of Rivers Trust in order to build on existing projects.


farmers put in place measures such as buffer strips and fences to protect water courses and to prevent agricultural pollution. Spelman said: “With this funding, we’ll help


our waterways thrive by tackling problems that have been sitting in the ‘too hard’ basket.”


Coed Cadw Cymru launches manifesto Little will join the OPLC from events agency Cake peTe hayman


Coed Cadw Cymru (The Woodland Trus t) has announced the launch of its new manifesto – Growing Wales’ future – ahead of the National Assembly elections, which take place on 5 May. Te document calls on resi-


dents across Wales to ask their local candidates about their plans to promote the creation and protection of the coun- try’s native woodland. Among the main plans set


out in the manifesto is the adoption of a target to double the cover of native woodland in Wales over the next 50 years. Te trust also calls for the creation of a National Forest Park in the South Wales valleys and the protection of ancient woods and trees.


Te manifesto aims to safeguard the future of native Welsh woodlands Te president of the Woodland Trust, Clive


Anderson, said: “Wales will be missing a trick if it fails to make the most of the many benefits native woodland and trees have to offer.”


Councillors back Telford country park expansion peTe hayman


Telford and Wrekin Council has approved in principle plans for the extension of Granville County Park, Shropshire. Proposals to incorporate a wider area of green space into the boundaries of the park


© CYBERTREK 2011


BiketraX opens at highland Safaris in perthshire


Tom walker


were given the backing of cabinet members aſter considering a report, which will include a current landfill site that is due to close. Restoration plans for the site have already


been approved and include the creation of a new area of green space with woodland.


Twitter: @leisureopps


Highland Safaris, the Perthshire-based lei- sure tour operator, has announced that it will be launching the region’s first purpose built mountain bike skills loop this year. BiketraX will include a warm-up area


with ramps, see-saws and rock-runs and a main route for bikers of all skill levels. Te track was designed with help from


Pete Laing, who also helped design MTB courses such as Glentress in the Borders.


Read Leisure Opportunities online: www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/digital 11


new events director for legacy company


peTe hayman


The Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) has appointed Clive Little as its new director of events and programming. Little – who will report to executive mar-


keting and communications director Karen Webb – will be responsible for the activities to be held at the Olympic Park from 2013. He has joined the OPLC from his role as


global events director at Cake, an ideas and experiential events agency that is part of the Havas Sports and Entertainment Group.


Council reopens neath’s Victoria Gardens


peTe hayman


Neath’s historic Victoria Gardens have reopened to the public, following the com- pletion of a £1.4m renovation programme carried out by the local authority. Cadw and the Heritage Lottery Fund


contributed towards the project, which was undertaken by Gee Construction on behalf of Neath Port Talbot Council. A new visitor centre and a facility for


park staff have been created, with the latter available for use as a community meeting room or a training venue.


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