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Switching the lights back on
©NTPL / Rupert Truman
The National Trust's historic Cragside House is now open to the public following a rewiring involving over 30 miles of cable and 150 light fittings - part of a £6 million regeneration project. The need for such a huge amount of work to be done arose as a result of an electrical survey, which found that some of the wiring in the property was more than 50 years old, and even some of the more modern installations were in an unacceptable state.
Futures for young people
©NTPL / David Levenson
Hundreds of disadvantaged young people across England will learn new skills such as conservation and customer services at stunning heritage sites, thanks to an exciting partnership between the National Trust and The Prince’s Trust, funded by a £1.2 million grant from the Big Lottery Fund. The aim is to see 65 percent of participants move into education, training or employment following their involvement in this project.
Britain's hidden climate change timebomb
©NTPL / Joe Cornish
The National Trust has called on the Government to make the conservation of peat moorlands a climate change priority. The Peak District contains some of the most degraded peatland areas in Britain. Two centuries of industrial pollution and a long history of overstocking have left a landscape that is now badly eroded. The National Trust estimates that the 1,350 hectares of exposed peat on its High Peak Estate alone is releasing 37,800 tonnes of carbon per year, equivalent to the carbon dioxide emissions of more than 18,000 cars a year.
The Trust organised a mass planting on Kinder Scout on 6 May 2007 in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the mass trespass which inspired freedom of access to the hills. Members of the public were invited to help plant over 150,000 cotton grass plants and re-seed bare peat with heather to restore this famous landscape.
Sustainability at Gibson Mill
©NTPL / Joe Cornish
This 19th-century cotton mill has been brought back into use as a facility for visitors and for the local community. This ground-breaking project has renovated the mill as a model of sustainability, using renewable sources. Gibson Mill has no mains electricity, and isn't connected to mains water or sewers.
The £1.6 million project was funded jointly by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Yorkshire Foward and other sources. Energy is generated by water-powered turbines, photo-voltaic panels, solar hot water panels and biomass from the woodland.
Stourhead estate farm shop
©NTPL / David Levenson
The National Trust has many tenant farmers who run their own farm shops and box schemes. The Stourhead estate has a fantastic farm shop, managed by two farm tenants from the estate and stocking everything from meat from their own farms to local apple juice. The tenants' beef won the Fine Farm Produce award in 2006 and can be bought direct from the Stourhead Farm Shop on the estate or via the recently launched box scheme.
The Large Blue
©National Trust
Large Blue butterflies are ranked amongst the most vulnerable species in the world. The National Trust has been involved in a successful reintroduction programme, with lots of new National Trust habitats supporting Large Blues. The National Trust's Collard Hill is the only open access site in the UK where the public can see this beautiful butterfly.
40 years of working holidays
©NTPL / Ian Shaw
Since 1967, over 100,000 people have taken a working holiday and have played a key role in the vital conservation work undertaken by the Trust – all have assisted wardens, gardeners and property managers with activities that could simply not get done without their help.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Working Holiday programme, the National Trust has organised a series of events around the country during 2007.
Wicken Fen habitat restoration
©NTPL / Ian Shaw
Wicken Fen is one of the last remaining areas of fenland in Britain, providing a vital habitat for endangered species such as the bittern, Emperor Butterfly and otter. Wicken Fen was the National Trust's first ever nature reserve. Since then it has expanded to incorporate 1,350 acres of wetland, but unfortunately surrounding areas have been drained to make way for agricultural farming.
To safeguard Wicken Fen, we have embarked on a 100 year vision to expand the reserve by 1,000 per cent. The aim is to do this by purchasing surrounding farmland as and when it becomes available and carefully restore it to fenland.
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