To celebrate National Tree Week taking place from 28 November – 6 December 2015, conservation charity World Land Trust has launched a new Kites Hill Guide, encouraging locals to visit and enjoy this ancient beech woodland. 

Established in 1975 and now in its 40th year, National Tree Week is one of the UK's largest annual tree celebrations marking the launch of the winter tree planting season and World Land Trust is therefore hoping to highlight the importance and beauty of the UK's woodlands through the new Kites Hill Guide. 

Covering 40 acres of Cotswold countryside, Kites Hill was gifted to World Land Trust as a living legacy by its owner, Jane Pointer, who wanted to see it managed and protected as a nature reserve during her lifetime. The reserve is today owned by World Land Trust and managed in partnership with the Gloucestershire branch of The Conservation Volunteers and provides visitors with free access all year round. 

The new Kites Hill Guide outlines a trail through the reserve, illustrating the different habitats that visitors will find there including the pond, beech woodland and meadows. The leaflet has been designed to complement four noticeboards on display at different points around the reserve providing information about the various habitats and inviting visitors to look for tracks and signs of wildlife. 

Kites Hill is part of the Cotswold Commons and Beechwoods Site of Special Scientific Interest and is recognised to be of European importance as a Special Area of Conservation. In order to maintain the natural habitats and increase biodiversity, World Land Trust has also provided breeding sites throughout Kites Hill for species of butterflies, bats and owls that had previously disappeared from the area, while a wildlife pond, created in 2009, attracts invertebrates and other pond life. 

World Land Trust is currently seeking funds to manage and improve the site for wildlife and the public can support conservation at the Kites Hill reserve by donating to WLT's Action Fund.

For volunteer opportunities at Kites Hill contact Gloucestershire TCV on glos@tcv.org.uk.

For more information on World Land Trust, visit www.worldlandtrust.org or to request a copy of the guide email info@worldlandtrust.org.

NOTES TO EDITORS

Photo Captions (from left to right):

Image 1: Kites Hill Guide ©World Land Trust

Image 2: Entrance to Kites Hill©World Land Trust

Image 3: Kites Hill noticeboards ©World Land Trust

For more information please contact:

McCluskey International

Judy McCluskey / Sarah Salord / Christina Vasileiou

T: 020 8747 2170 E: worldlandtrust@mccluskey.co.uk

About World Land Trust (WLT)

World Land Trust (WLT) is an international conservation charity, which protects the world's most biologically important and threatened habitats acre by acre. Since its foundation in 1989, WLT has funded partner organisations around the world to create reserves, and give permanent protection to habitats and wildlife. The mission of WLT is: To protect and sustainably manage natural ecosystems of the world; To conserve their biodiversity, with emphasis on threatened habitats and endangered species; To develop partnerships with local individuals, communities and organisations to engage support and commitment among the people who live in project areas; To raise awareness, in the UK and elsewhere, of the need for conservation, to improve understanding and generate support through education, information and fundraising.