As part of CrossCountry’s ongoing commitment to help increase biodiversity in the UK, on 13 June 2023, a team of volunteers from the company spent the day at Battram Wood in Leicestershire carrying out practical conservation work.
The woodland volunteering event at Battram Wood – delivered in partnership with GreenTheUK and the Royal Forestry Society – represents part of CrossCountry’s wider environmental investment, with the company pledging £30,000 towards GreenTheUK’s tree planting and rewilding projects to enhance biodiversity throughout the UK.
So far, the project has seen CrossCountry and GreenTheUK plant over 5,000 trees and restore five hectares of wildflowers across England and Wales.
Improving biodiversity in Leicestershire
Battram Wood is a public wild space, situated immediately adjacent to the North Leicestershire village, Battram. It is visited by over 20,000 local people each year.
The Royal Forestry Society’s conservation plans at Battram Wood have been underway for a number of years, with a long-term focus on using the site to further forest education and demonstrate good forestry practice by maintaining and enhancing the wildlife habitats within the wood.
The team of six CrossCountry volunteers, which included train drivers, graduates, head office staff and train managers, continued this conservation work at Battram Wood, planting conference pear trees and pruning existing trees to stimulate wildflower growth along the public trail.
Jessica Lockwood, CrossCountry’s Environment and Sustainability Manager said: “At CrossCountry, we’re committed to making our customer journeys even more sustainable and giving something back to the local communities our network helps to serve.
“We are delighted to support the biodiversity work that GreenTheUK is doing in Leicestershire. The response from colleagues to our call for volunteers has been brilliant. We have had a great day not only carrying out practical conservation work, but also learning about the importance of biodiversity in order to for trees to survive in our rapidly changing climate.
“Improving biodiversity in Battram Wood will bring benefits to the local community and help local wildlife to thrive.”
By partnering with external environmental organisations, such as GreenTheUK and The Royal Forestry Society, CrossCountry plans to continue to positively influence biodiversity in local communities close to the CrossCountry network, as well as other areas of the UK that have an immediate need for improved biodiversity.
For more information on the company’s sustainability efforts, please visit: https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/about-us/sustainability-strategy