34SP.com supporting ancient woodland restoration in Greater Manchester

One of Greater Manchester’s oldest semi-natural woodlands will be restored by The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside thanks to £5,000 from Manchester-based web hosting company 34SP.com

Phillips Park in Bury is home to an amazing range of greenspaces, one of the most important of which is an area of ancient semi-natural woodland. These are designated as UK Biodiversity Priority habitats and have had continuous woodland cover since at least 1600AD, making them one of the most important woodland habitats in the UK, but which have suffered significant reductions in extent and condition over the years in Greater Manchester and beyond.

But now thanks to the generous support of Manchester- based web hosting company 34SP.com, work will be commencing this spring to restore this precious habitat.

Staff at The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside will work with both local volunteers and staff from 34SP.com to undertake a programme of woodland thinning to kickstart the woodland being able to heal itself. This is the process of removing some smaller trees, scrub and invasive species such as rhododendron and Himalayan balsam, which is crowding out the woodland floor and stopping light from penetrating.

Once the woodland floor has been opened up, work will begin to plant hundreds of native woodland wildflowers such as bluebell, wild garlic and wood anemone. This will encourage the natural regeneration of this environmentally important site.

It’s essential for us to make a difference close to home, so identifying a Manchester-based project to support became a key priority.

Daniel Foster, Managing Director
34SP.com

Daniel Foster, Managing Director, 34SP.com, said: “As a business, we’ve always taken our environmental impact seriously, from maintaining ISO 14001 standards and using sustainable energy to recycling all our waste and supporting tree-planting projects around the world. At the same time, it’s essential for us to make a difference close to home, so identifying a Manchester-based project to support became a key priority.”

Phillips Park is a 70 hectare nature reserve, and is of strategic importance in Greater Manchester, as it is a core site within the wider landscape of over 300 hectares of woodland – much of which is designated for its ancient semi-natural character and importance; making this landscape one of the most important in Greater Manchester for biodiversity and other environmental benefits.

Woman looking up at a tree in a woodland

Rory Andrews, Greater Manchester Nature Recovery Manager at The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside, said: “We are so grateful to 34SP.com for not only reaching into their pockets, but getting their hands dirty and supporting direct action, to make a real difference for nature at Phillips Park. As a Manchester-based company they are investing in the environment on their doorsteps, and that will have an impact felt so much further afield. Phillips Park is a wonderful place for both people and wildlife to enjoy and this woodland regeneration work will help make it even better.”

Without active management, woodland condition will decline, but by monitoring the activities taken and their impact we will be able to assess the improvement in the habitat for wildlife.

Improving our environmental impact is more than just a tick box exercise for us.

Laura Seaton, Customer Experience
34SP.com

Laura Seaton, Customer Experience, 34SP.com said: “Improving our environmental impact is more than just a tick box exercise for us. Rather than just giving money, it is important that we also give our time and help to make positive changes. We are all extremely excited to get hands on and help to make a difference at a local level which is why this project is such a perfect fit.”

Here at The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside we are committed to only working with companies who have a genuine commitment to creating a positive impact on our environment, such as 34SP.com.

More widely, the UK digital sector is estimated to generate about 19.3 Mt CO2e per year, roughly 4.8% of total UK greenhouse gas emissions, with around 35% of these digital emissions coming from data centres (hosting, storage, processing)*.Being a UK‑based company that only provides renewable‑powered hosting, 34SP.com is playing their part in significantly cutting this impact.

Find out how excited 34SP.com are about the project on their website

34SP.com is a Manchester-based web hosting company offering reliable UK hosting with friendly, in-house support, pairing great service with real commitments to community and environmental action.