Dale lends support to woodland walk days

6:44pm Wednesday 17th October 2001

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE is leading the way during a weekend of nationwide walks.

The Woodland Trust, the UK's leading woodland conservation charity, is calling on everyone to join a walk and pledge their support to halting the loss of the UK's richest wildlife sites; ancient woods.

These woods are Britain's equivalent of the rain forest.

More than 75 walks are planned, three of which are in this area: at Padbury, High Wycombe and Chorleywood.

Ancient woods are at least 400 years old, but today they cover only two per cent of the country, and what is left could be lost very quickly.

Nearly half the UK's ancient woodland has been ruined since the 1930s, mainly through conversion to conifer plantation and clearance for agriculture.

Broadleaved woodland contains more globally threatened and rapidly declining species than any other UK habitat.

The Woodland Trust wants greater protection of ancient woodland, only 14 per cent of which has Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) status.

Dale Winton, celebrity supporter of the trust, said: "These woods are so beautiful and rich with history, they're effectively nature's cathedrals.

"Please help the Woodland Trust by backing their ongoing campaign to protect what little remains of this national treasure."

For more information on local walks visit www.woodland-trust.org.uk or call 020 8579 4156.

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