Chamber Charity of Choice | Manx Wildlife Trust (MWT) Corporate Member Spotlight
27 February 2024
We are continuing to shine a spotlight on some our corporate partners, this month it’s the turn of Aviva. Last year they pledged to help restore the British Isles’ lost rainforests, as part of a £100 million programme of nature-based projects in UK, Ireland and the Isle of Man to help address climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Aviva Partnered with The Wildlife Trusts to re-establish our rare and biodiverse temperate rainforest. The project is expected to remove approximately 800,000 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere - equivalent to the emissions created by driving over 2.46 billion miles.
Native to the British Isles, temperate rainforest is an incredibly rare and biodiverse habitat that once stretched from Cornwall to the west of Scotland. Now it covers less than 1% of the British Isles, in areas such as western Scotland, the Lake District and western Wales, and is thought to be more threatened globally than tropical rainforests. In the Isle of Man only a few pockets remain, largely in the protected National Glens.
Manx Wildlife Trust was fortunate enough to be at the vanguard of this project with the purchase of our Creg y Cowin Nature Reserve in West Baldwin. These 105 acres of low-grade farmland at the top of the Baldwin valley, just below the mountain line, had been on the market for several years. Flanked by two rivers it represented the perfect site for re-establishing temperate rain forest. The small area of plantation already on the site is dripping with mosses and lichens - temperate rainforest species that are just waiting to spread out into the whole reserve.
We have a long history of working alongside people to help nature recover and the community will be at the heart of restoring this site too. Rainforests will add to the natural beauty and cultural heritage of the Isle of Man, as well as providing the potential for volunteering, green jobs, and tourism. The reserve is open for the public to access nature, which we know can improve mental health and wellbeing, encourage physical activity, and build stronger communities. We have regular tree planting days on Thursdays and Sundays until the end of March. If you’re interested in volunteering, drop an email to lucy@mwt.im. Aviva only has one member of staff based in the Isle of Man, but they are very engaged with the project. Andree Dubbeldam, the MWT Wildlife Officer in charge of the project, has been working hard with project partners, the Isle of Man Woodland Trust, volunteers and corporate members and together they have already planted 3,000 trees of the 6,000 tree target for this winter. Volunteers have also built a camping area with Appalachian fencing for weekend long planting sessions later in the year.
Amanda Blanc, Aviva Group Chief Executive Officer, said: “The fact that Britain’s native rainforests will take carbon out of the Earth’s atmosphere is reason enough to restore them. But on top of that, they’re incredibly rare and beautiful. This vital work we are undertaking with The Wildlife Trusts will mean people can experience this rich natural habitat. Giving communities access to these sites will improve wellbeing and show how biodiversity fights and reduces the impacts of climate change. Aviva is proud to help reestablish temperate rainforests in the British Isles as part of our efforts to be a Net Zero company by 2040.”
MWT has a contract in place with Aviva to deliver the re-establishment of temperate rainforest at Creg y Cowin. The contract term is 100 years after which many of those involved will no longer be around and we can only imagine what a great site for nature it will be by then. “Blessed are those who plant trees under whose shade they will never sit” Greek proverb.
If you want to find out more about our corporate membership options visit: www.mwt.im/business and if you’re interested in getting your business involved in the work of MWT email ellen@mwt.im to get the ball rolling.
Get involved with MWT on social media: Twitter @manxnature, Facebook at facebook.com/ManxWildlifeTrust, Instagram manxwt or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/manx-wildlife-trust/ like, share and comment.
Manx Wildlife Trust is an Isle of Man registered charity no. 225. Find out more at www.mwt.im or email enquiries@mwt.im to start a conversation.