The Yorkshire Arboretum has received initial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for its project ‘If Trees Could Talk’ . The project aims to tell the story of the arboretum’s trees, its historic site and rich natural biodiversity to a wide audience. Thanks to National Lottery players, development funding of £44,400 has been awarded to help the Yorkshire Arboretum progress plans to apply for a full grant at a later date.
The arboretum aims to develop an exciting series of trails, activity areas and interpretation materials that will make the realm of trees and their rich cultural and biological stories come alive, as well as introducing people to their beauty and diversity through an enhanced education programme for all ages.
Located near Castle Howard, the arboretum occupies 120 acres of the historic landscape on the estate, and was designed and laid out by the landscape architect and plantsman James Russell from 1979. Currently with over 6000 trees from around the world, including countries such as Chile, Kenya and Mexico, it’s a continuously developing collection of significant scientific and horticultural importance. Amongst the trees native wildlife flourishes, with wild orchids, rare bees and birds such as barn owls all occurring on the site.
John Grimshaw, Director of the Yorkshire Arboretum, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to receive this endorsement and support from the Heritage Lottery Fund. It gives us an opportunity to work towards the project we dream of, making this lovely place more accessible and more interesting to very many more people, promoting our values of inspiration, education and conservation.”
