Harrogate and Knaresborough residents and local organisations can now buy shares in Long Lands Common community owned woodland project, which has been awarded the national Community Shares Standard Mark for best practice.
Chris Kitson, Secretary of Long Lands Common Limited, the Community Benefits Society said: “It feels a huge milestone to launch the sale of community shares, so we can empower people of all ages to take back some control of local green spaces. We only have until November 20th to raise £300,000 to buy the 30 acres of farmland between our two towns.”
There are a number of elements to the project overall, and YRN followers will be particularly interested to know that this includes the rewilding of an area of farmland by planting trees in the first instance, and then caring for the land as it is slowly transitions to a more natural state. Trees will be planted over large areas of the 30 acre site including a children’s wood, but the vision is not to end up with a dense, dark, closed wood. Instead, Long Lands Common will have open areas of grassland, wildflower meadows, verges and thickets of thorny scrub and marshy areas and ponds and, as a result, will provide a much richer home for a wide range of animal and plant life. The plan is that this will be undertaken with the full participation of the local community, whereby “everyone will play a part, everyone will have access, and everyone will have the opportunity to learn about how important this is for our future.”
Shares can also be bought as gifts. Such a present would be a great way for children to have a connection to their local area – wherever they end up in the world!
Application forms can be filled in online by visiting https://www.longlandscommon.org/buy-shares