Spouses Vale
Introduction
Global warming is a serious issue and a threat to all living systems. The Wildlife Trusts within the Eastern region have created a new website providing information to encourage people to help tackle global warming and tips on how to save money at the same time. Through the online smart saving calculator people can calculate how much money they can save by making energy saving pledges.
Further contributions can be made by donating a portion of the savings to a local Wildlife Trust. Money donated is used to help fund a variety of projects designed to help reduce the effects of climate change within the region. One way in which this can be achieved is to increase connectivity between existing habitats through networks of created or enhanced habitat.
Suffolk Wildlife Trust are creating a new woodland at Spouses Vale nature reserve after acquiring additional land adjacent to Hulback’s Grove; an existing reserve. The new woodland, located in south Suffolk near Bures and Assington, will create a larger habitat by linking Spouses Vale and Arger Fen. This will enable wildlife to move between the habitats and expand their living environment allowing them to better cope with the inevitable changes.
Background
Essex & Suffolk Water have implemented numerous ‘green travel’ initiatives to reduce employee contributions to global carbon emissions. It is recognised, however, that many employees cannot avoid travelling to work by car, therefore ESW have opted to also offer a way for employees to compensate for their commuter emissions.
The Spouses Vale project is a great way to do this and supports a local project where employees can really see the benefits of their donations. For £15 employees can sponsor 100m2 of created woodland habitat to compensate for a year’s commuting. Within the intranet staff can view a map illustrating squares of land already sponsored by colleagues and those still available. Spouses Vale is one of a number of projects that The Wildlife Trusts are undertaking. For more information, and to find out how you can help, please visit the Climate Challenge Website: www.wildlifeclimatechallenge.org.
Benefits
Spouses Vale is a mosaic of ancient woodland alongside fen meadow; visitors in the spring will be witness to carpets of bluebells and have a chance to hear nightingales. Planted areas will evolve supporting a variety of wildlife through its successive stages. Spouses Vale and Arger Fen already support the endangered dormouse amongst many other rare and sensitive species. Creating additional habitat will allow species to expand their range not only providing them with increased resources but also aiding long term survival and resilience through an increase in the gene pool and diversity. This will strengthen populations and allow them to better adapt to the changing climate.
Spouses Vale has free access all year and a way-marked nature trail incorporating various habitat information boards for the visitors benefit. If you wish to contribute and make a difference visit the website, reduce your energy consumption and support the Wildlife Trusts in their quest to tackle climate change in your area.
Information for staff members
ESW staff can support this project by sponsoring the Spouses Vale area of woodland habitat and making energy cuts within the workplace and home. To donate and help compensate the environment for your emissions visit the ‘your travel’ pages on livelink intranet.