Terms and Conditions – Nature Dedications

Terms and Conditions – Nature Dedications

General

Trees

It is our intention to maintain all the woodlands we create, in perpetuity. Our trees will never be cut down for timber or development.  Thinning of areas deep in the wood may be carried out to enhance biodiversity, but dedicated trees will not be impacted by this.

Our Veteran and Century Old Trees, are, by definition, in the latter stages of their lives. They may lose limbs or even be blown over by strong winds. This is unfortunately to be expected for trees of this age. If this happens, any parts of the tree which fall to the ground will be left there (unless they are dangerous) to enter the next stage of their life – providing food and habitat for many invertebrates, and eventually future generations of trees.

Ponds

Our ponds are ‘natural’ – we do not add plants or wildlife. We have learnt that these will just arrive! We usually leave our ponds to see if they will hold water without being lined – and one or two of them do. However, we often resort to lining them. Although this is ‘unnatural’, we feel that it is a ‘necessary evil’ and as many thousands of ponds have been lost, we do everything we can to bring back this valuable habitat. Your dedication supports the cost of creation, lining, maintaining and monitoring the pond.

Bluebells, Snowdrops and Wildflowers

Our ancient woodlands at Bank Woods are carpeted with native English Bluebells and the grasslands at Covenhope are carpeted with snowdrops; your dedication supports us in protecting them.

We have a restored a wildflower hay-meadow at Bank Woods and sown wildflower meadows at Sylvan Nature Reserve and Dacre Woodlands. Your dedication helps us to maintain these as important habitats for insects, birds and small mammals, as well as a beautiful feature for humans.

Bird nest boxes 

Your dedication helps to support the building, monitoring, cleaning and maintenance of our many bird boxes. 

Limitations

You will not own the tree, pond, bird box or wildflowers you dedicate, or the land on which they are situated.

Young trees are at their most vulnerable in the first five years of their life. We will control competing vegetation, usually through natural methods. Any trees lost within five years will be replaced. Beyond that, replacement is not included in our dedications.

Trees are dedicated by one customer only. Bird boxes may be re-dedicated after a few years; the dedication is described as covering one breeding season. Ponds, areas of bluebells and wildflowers may be dedicated by several people.

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