“The team and I had such a great time planting trees. It was a chilly morning, but it was great to be outside and getting stuck in with the Forest of Marston Vale. We’re already looking forward to next year, where we’re hoping to plant lots more!”
Daisy Fraser
Managing Director
Who is Forest of Marston Vale?
Forest of Marston Vale is a local non-profit organisation planting trees to increase biodiversity in a 61 square mile area between Bedford and Milton Keynes.
Several decades ago, large swathes of the Marston Vale countryside were dug up to provide the nearby Stewartby Brickworks with clay. The pits left behind were turned into landfill sites, raising the levels of pollution in the area. To mitigate the effects of the industrial activity, the area was made into a Community Forest in the early 90s.
How is Forest of Marston Vale helping our environment?
While Forest of Marston Vale have an overall target of planting 5 million trees, they are also very strategic about what they plant and where. Each area is carefully designed to provide a range of habitats for the local wildlife. In areas where animal or insect population is declining, trees are planted that encourage population growth to prevent any further negative impact on our ecosystems.
Trees provide many benefits for our environment. They are a source of sustainable raw materials and directly combat our climate crisis by cleaning up our air. They also reduce the effects of natural disasters that are brought on by climate change, such as flooding.
How is Forest of Marston Vale helping our communities?
This charity is improving the social and economic prospects of this area in the Marston Vale. The work that they do creates and supports local jobs – either directly, or through their use of local contractors. Forest of Marston Vale are creating a much-needed green space in a part of the UK that is currently undergoing a lot of development. They’re also helping our NHS. The health benefits provided by the forest amount to a whopping £4.95m saved per year for our national health service. These benefits aren’t just physical – enjoying nature is a great way to improve your mental health.
Forest of Marston Vale and Evacu8
In September 2022, we started working with Forest of Marston Vale as part of our pledge to make more sustainable choices.
For every new or pre-existing customer who signs up for an evacuation maintenance contract with us, we will plant one tree together with Forest of Marston Vale.
On the 18th January, we planted 15 trees! We’re looking forward to planting even more throughout 2023.
Want to get involved?
Forest of Marston Vale aims to increase tree coverage in the area from 3.6% to 30%. Currently, tree coverage is about 15.4% – so they have made amazing progress, but there’s still a way to go!
You can help us plant more trees in the Forest by signing a servicing and maintenance contract for your evacuation equipment.
To remain legally compliant, your evacuation chairs must be maintained on a regular basis. Our engineers carry out full checks and can make any required adjustments to your evacuation equipment. They also provide detailed reports for each piece of equipment, along with a helpful summary for your records. This is the easiest way to ensure that your equipment is safe and suitable for use in an emergency.
We can offer you peace of mind for up to three years – at a fixed price for the length of your contract.
Keep your employees safe, while helping our planet. Check out our evacuation equipment maintenance contracts.