Young oak trees have been planted on the Bolton Abbey Estate to celebrate the partnership between The Devonshire Arms Country House Hotel and local charity Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT).
Each year The Devonshire Arms at Bolton Abbey chooses a charity partner to support, and since 1st April 2011 the hotel has been working closely with YDMT to raise vital funds for the Trust as their chosen charity of 2011-12.
During the course of the year The Devonshire Arms and their customers have helped to raise £3,482 for the charity through fundraising events such as the annual bonfire and fireworks display.
- The Devonshire Arms and YDMT plant an oak tree at the riverside. L-R: Eddie Styles, Sarah Brewer, David Sharrod, Andrew Mackay
To officially commemorate the partnership, the two organisations came together to plant two sapling oak trees within the Bolton Abbey Estate, in a scenic riverside spot overlooked by the hotel.
The Devonshire Arms’ General Manager Andrew Mackay and Head Concierge Eddie Styles each planted a sapling oak tree in a conservation strip beside the river Wharfe. The trees will act as a living and long-lasting symbol of the partnership which can be appreciated for generations to come.
Andrew Mackay commented:
Over the past year The Devonshire Arms Country House Hotel has been making huge efforts to become more environmentally responsible. Further than simply operating as a ‘green’ business, we believe that part of the commitment is to increase awareness and support projects which maintain and preserve our environment. Each year, the Duchess of Devonshire selects a local charity for our Yorkshire properties to support, and we were absolutely delighted that she chose the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust for 2011/12. The work that the YDMT does to preserve this beautiful part of the country is staggering and we are so proud to have been able to contribute to it. Our Head Concierge and leader of our “Green Team”, Eddie Styles, is particularly happy with what is now known as ‘his’ tree, and if you can’t find him at reception, you’ll be sure to see him outside checking on the progress of our new sapling!
YDMT’s Director David Sharrod and Woodland Officer Chris Lodge were on hand to oversee the planting of the saplings and to offer advice on the best planting techniques.
David Sharrod added:
One day these saplings will be mighty oak trees up to 30 metres tall. Oaks take many tens of years to reach maturity, and can live for over two hundred years, so planting these saplings really is an investment in the future of the Dales’ landscape by the team at The Devonshire Arms. We are very grateful for the amazing level of support we have received from them during the last year. Their donation will be a huge help in enabling us to continue our work to protect and enhance the landscape, environment and economy of the Yorkshire Dales for future generations.
YDMT is involved in a wide variety of projects, one of which is the Dales Woodland Restoration programme. Working closely with partners including Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and Forestry Commission, YDMT have helped to plant just over 1 million native broadleaf trees in the Yorkshire Dales to date, thanks to the support of landowners such as the Bolton Abbey Estate, and donations from individuals and local businesses such as The Devonshire Arms.
Working in partnership YDMT and other organisations aim to almost double the amount of broadleaf tree cover in the National Park to 5000 hectares by 2020, creating an important habitat for wildlife, as well as enriching the landscape and absorbing carbon.
