A woodland restoration project at Beacon Fell Country Park has raised £9,000 for charity.

The project was run in partnership with charity Life for a Life Memorial Forests and Lancashire County Council.

The funds will be shared with nine Lancashire charities including Derian House Children’s Hospice and St Catherine’s Hospice.

The idea for the Starling Wood restoration came off the back of devastating damaged caused by the Beast from the East in 2018.

The five hectare plantation was left battered and unsafe by the storms leaving Lancashire Country Council with no choice but to clear fell the stand made up of mainly Sitka Spruce trees that had blocked the public rights of way and bridleways.

Normally after felling, the Council would have to use public funds to replant the woodland but in a unique twist Life For A Life Memorial Forests – which already has memorial tree plantations in partnership with the Council – took on the challenge to replant the woodland with around 8,000 new mainly broadleaf trees.

The trees have been sponsored by business and individuals from across the county and a donation received from the National Lottery. The diverse planting will establish a more resilient woodland that will help mitigate the impact of climate change.

The trees were planted by the charity with the help of volunteers from BES Ltd, The Scouts, The Forest of Bowland AONB, Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership, Walking With the Wounded, Manchester City of Trees and The Lancashire County Council Countryside Volunteers.

Representatives from each of the beneficiaries planted the final trees and received their donation, marking the end of the tree planting season and this phase of the Starling Wood restoration.

Emma Scott, Executive Director of Life for A Life, said: “It’s fantastic to see Starling Wood replanted. It’s a place that is beloved by lots of people and it was heartbreaking to see the woodlands left so devastated by the storms.

“Even though this project is different to the charity’s normal memorial forest and tree planting work, it still has our little spin on it by raising money that will go on to help others in the community.

“It was tough raising funds during a global pandemic and now a cost-of-living crisis, but I cannot thank all those who have supported the project enough. Whilst we had ambitions of raising a lot more, I am pleased to see that the surplus raised of £9,000 will go on to do some good.”

Tim Blythe, Countryside Service Manager at Lancashire County Council, said: “The project at Starling Wood has been a wonderful opportunity to do things in a different way.

“By working with Life for a Life we have been able to replant the woodland, introduce new people to our country park and Beacon Fell, engage with a wider audience, and see a number of local charities benefit. A unique way to do things, but it worked.”

Anyone who would still like to support the project and help look after Starling Wood for future generations can make a donation through the Life for a Life website.

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