What’s new?
5 September 2007
Pegsdon Hills boosted by biffaward
Funding for improvements to nature reserve is granted
A project to restore chalk grassland on important and historic nature reserves in Bedfordshire has been boosted by a £50,485 grant from Biffaward, a multi-million pound environment fund managed by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts which uses landfill tax credits donated by Biffa Waste Services.
Pegsdon Hills is one of the most outstanding areas within the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, offering some of the best views in the county. The steep chalk hills and quiet valleys are full of wildlife, from magnificent displays of orchids and butterflies, to nesting lapwings and circling buzzards. Due to land change over the past fifty years, the vast majority of species-rich chalk grassland has been lost in South Bedfordshire, leaving just a few protected areas. Pegsdon Hills is one of the largest, publicly accessible sites where people can still experience the natural beauty of this valuable landscape.
Biffaward funding is going towards a two-year project, focussing on the removal of areas of scrub so that the land can be grazed and managed sustainably. Local volunteers will help with management and survey work to enhance the habitat for important species, including the dingy and grizzled skipper butterflies, pasque flower, skylarks and fly orchids. Fencing and access gates will also be installed.
Martin Bettington, chairman of Biffaward, said “It is one of Biffaward’s priorities to support valuable biodiversity projects such as this, benefiting habitats and the species that live in them. We are delighted to support the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough in this work.”
Graham Bellamy, conservation manager at the Wildlife Trust, said, “It is great to be awarded such a fantastic grant from Biffaward to improve this important chalk grassland site. Pegsdon Hills is well worth a visit for its magnificent views, fragrant herbs and beautiful butterflies.”
The £50,485 Biffaward grant includes a £5,048.50 contribution from The Friends of The Wildlife Trust. Under Government regulations only 90 per cent of a grant can be provided from landfill tax – the remainder must come from another source.
Biffa provides a range of public sector, commercial and industrial waste collection services as well as the management of 33 operational landfill sites across the UK. The multi-million pound a year Biffaward fund has been set up, using tax charged on waste taken into landfill sites, to help finance environmental projects near Biffa sites.
For more information, contact Biffaward’s PR Team on 01636 670083 or e-mail media@rswt.org. For more information about the project please call Tamzin Hackett on 01604 405285.