Enquire:
www.dcep.co.uk Tel: 01630 673000 Fax: 01630 673247 Email:
dce@directcontact.demon.co.uk Post: use the Enquiry Sheet
Olympics
LONDON 2012 Wildflower turf laying at Battle
development activities and neglect, with a profound impact on the insects, animals and birds they once supported.”
Danny Boyle’s ‘Green and Pleasant Land’ theme, highlighted in the opening sequence of the Olympics 2012 showed how wildflower environments are an intrinsic part of Britain’s heritage. A valuable legacy of the Olympics will be to raise widespread awareness of the crisis facing the UK’s meadows and pastures and the wildlife they support.
Wildlife is to become one of the unexpected ‘legacy’ beneficiaries of the Olympics, thanks to a joint initiative between the Hampshire- based organisation, Wildflower Turf Ltd and the Sussex-based Meadows Nectar Networks Initiative (MNNI). MNNI and Wildflower Turf Ltd are planting wildflowers and grasses, featured at the Olympics, across specially selected UK locations with the aim of promoting regional biodiversity and sustainability.
A pioneer in developing and producing soil- less growing system for wildflowers and grasses, Wildflower Turf Ltd supplied a significant amount of bespoke mix wildflower turf to the London Olympics. The turf was widely featured at the opening ceremony and across a range of sites including the Equestrian centre and the Athletes’ village. Now, through this joint initiative, it will be providing longer-lasting benefits by donating significant quantities of the same unique
blend, which will be used in specially-selected locations.
James Hewetson-Brown, Wildflower Turf’s Managing Director, explains, “We are delighted to donate the special blend of wildflower turf, with 30 different flower seeds and four types of grasses in the hope that the quality, adaptability, flexibility, and long term environmental and financial rewards it offers will become more widely known. We grew more than we needed for the Olympics, so this is an ideal way to extend the turf’s benefits to the wider community and provide a lasting legacy.
“Sadly, the UK countryside faces an increasing threat from land use and this has had a devastating impact on habitats for rare and fast-declining numbers of our native plants, insects, animals and birds. In the last 75 years, 97% of the UK’s grasslands and wildflower meadows have been destroyed as a result of
The British Landscape, with its hedged tapestry of meadows and pastures, provide unique habitats which are home to many native species such as the cowslip, brown hare, short-haired bumblebee and Common Blue butterfly. Grasslands are vital for our biodiversity, ecosystem services, and enjoyment as communities, individuals and families.
The Nectar Networks Meadows Initiative raises the awareness of the value of meadows by demonstrating to the public and landowners what can be achieved to reverse their decline. Over the last 15 years many ancient meadows have been recognised, protected, enhanced or created within the Weald utilising native wild harvested local provenance seed.
Keith Datchler, OBE and head of the Nectar Networks Meadows Initiative, says, “With the help of Wildflower Turf, this project will help us showcase the significant part wildflowers, herbs and grasses have played, and hopefully will continue to play, in encouraging biodiversity across the UK. Grasslands play a vital role in helping us maintain a healthy ecosystem for the benefit of our families and children as well as providing beautiful and
inspirational places for us to enjoy.”
The first site to benefit from the planting was an important historical site in Battle, near Hastings, where the wildflower turf was laid in Kingsmead Meadow, noted for being the site of Harold’s camp the night before the Battle of Hastings on 14th October 1066.
Simon Alexander of Beautiful Battle says, “Kingsmead is a wonderful recently created wildflower meadow within Battle that will be very much enhanced by the arrival of the Olympic wildflower turf. This turf has been laid on the 946th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings which was of such significance to Battle and, more importantly, to this country as a whole. Beautiful Battle is delighted to be involved in this project which brings not only an addition of wildflower heritage to Kingsmead but also projects the ethos of the Olympic legacy right into our town.” Echoing these sentiments Battle’s Town Clerk, Peter Mills, says, “The Town Council fully supports the initiative taken by Beautiful Battle to create an outstanding example of a wildflower meadow so close to the town centre”.
Reader Enquiry: 25
www.wildflowerturf.co.uk 01256 771222
London Olympics leaves a lasting legacy for sustainable timber procurement
The London 2012 Olympic Games may be over, but they leave a lasting legacy for sustainable timber procurement. Joint FSC and PEFC certification covered all the venues and landscaping in the park in the world’s first dual ‘Super’ Project Certification. It was carried out by Soil Association Woodmark to give third- party assurance that over 12,500 cubic metres of timber met the strict criteria demanded by the Olympic Delivery Authority. Main Contractor CLM was responsible for implementation, with excellent procedures to control and record deliveries to a host of sub-contractors. Key to success was the appointment of the Timber Supply Panel, drawn from the UK’s leading certified timber merchants.
Project Certification was developed so that construction projects of all kinds could benefit from the seal of approval granted by the FSC
and PEFC schemes with their widely recognised logos. To summarise the process: the project manager (usually the main contractor) applies to the certification body whose auditors assess whether adequate systems and training are in place to ensure control of wood-based building materials on the site. If necessary, interim audits are conducted to check that the systems are working well in practice and a final audit calculates the percentage of certified timber used - FSC, PEFC or both. Certification can apply to the whole structure or to a particular element such as a glulam roof.
Other projects certified by Woodmark range from the recently completed Bullitt Center in Seattle, which achieved nearly 100% of FSC timber and which has been dubbed ‘the world’s greenest commercial building’, to a
wooden fishing boat in Japan and an eco- tourism lodge in Malaysia.
The certification provides a future model for sustainable timber procurement globally. Project Certification demonstrates through a traceable chain of custody that the world’s forests are protected and not diminished by increasing the use of timber.
Reader Enquiry: 26
www.soilassociation.org/ woodmark
01179 142435 17
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52