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Beacon Hill Wins Award
Posted on 17/07/2007
P. Klein
Beacon Hill Country Park near Loughborough has been awarded a Green Flag by the Civic Trust and Communities and Local Government. This will be awarded at a special event on the 26th July in the Royal Armouries in Leeds.
The Green Flag Award is the national standard for parks and green spaces in England and Wales. The award scheme began in 1996 as a means of recognising and rewarding the best green spaces in the country. It was also seen as a way of encouraging others to achieve the same high environmental standards, creating a benchmark of excellence in recreational green areas. This year over 600 parks entered for the awards.
The Award represents recognition of the considerable work by Rangers, volunteers and the public in caring for and developing both Country Parks over a number of years.
At Beacon Hill this award recognises one of Leicestershires favourite sites, which is also a Scheduled Monument and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Recent developments have included significant heathland management works, substantial forestry operations, the creation of a recreational trail around the site, the establishment of the National Forest Wood Fair as an Annual event (27th August this year) and regular meetings of conservation volunteers who help the Rangers in managing the sites. User satisfaction at this site is also over 90%.
Beacon Hill has more than 100 hectares of heath and woodland, including a collection of trees native to Britain. A newly-planted area includes a Woodland Trail featuring woodland crafts, a viewing platform and a shelter built of straw. The park is also home to the unusual sight of Manx Loghton sheep and alpacas, the latter are similar to llamas. At 245m (802 feet), it is the second highest point in Leicestershire and the site of a Bronze Age hill fort. A toposcope indicates landmarks that can be seen from the summit. It is one of the closest Country Parks to Loughborough.
Ernie White Cabinet Lead Member for Community Services comments that "These are special sites managed by special people. I am delighted that this award recognises not only the dedication of our staff in caring for the sites but also the place the sites have in the hearts of visitors, volunteers and local communities.