Tarmac sponsorship helps restore Shropshire heathland

FUNDING from Tarmac has played a major part in spreading 112 million heather seeds over 40 acres of Shropshire's craggy Stiperstones hills.

The exercise marks the first phase of a œ60,000 sponsorship package for the county's 'Back to Purple' scheme, a partnership between English Nature, the Forestry Commission and Shropshire Wildlife Trust which aims to restore 440 acres of heathland on the hills west of Church Stretton.

Helicopters were used to carry out the seeding work, as the Stiperstones craggy slopes prevented the use of conventional machinery.

During the next three years Tarmac's support will allow conservationists to enhance wildlife habitats and improve facilities at the internationally important site.

The Back to Purple project is part-funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund under its national 'Tomorrow's Heathland Heritage' scheme.