Tributes to the man behind GreenWood Forest Park:
TRIBUTES have been paid to the founder of one of Gwynedd’s top visitor attractions after he died following a “courageous” battle against brain cancer.
Stephen Bristow MBE and his wife Andrea bought 17 acres of woodland near Bangor in 1993 and over more than 20 years they transformed GreenWood Forest Park into one of the region’s most popular tourism sites.
They sold the business in 2017 and for the past 19 months Stephen, who lived on Anglesey, has been battling cancer. The dad-of-three died on Sunday, aged 68.
As well as being a respected businessman, his family said Stephen was a “loving, kind and gentle soul” who loved nature and was always wanting to help people.
Wife Andrea said: “I was a lucky woman being married to such a special man.
“I shall miss him dearly, but I also know that he will stay with me.
“He was my best friend, dancing partner and business partner.
“He loved nature, and I do not know how many trees he must have planted.”
Their youngest son Christopher said: “Many know dad as an entrepreneur, but he was so much more than that.
“He was a loving, kind and gentle soul who took real interest in others, and wanted to help them in any way he could.”
Born in 1951 In the south of England, Stephen spent his early years studying horticulture.
He met Andrea, who is originally from Austria, while working on a horticultural project in Oxfordshire. They married and had three sons.
After completing his degree, Steve spent some years in Sudan, where he worked on a project planting trees in the desert.
After studying at Bangor University as a mature student in the 1980s, the Bristow family moved back to North Wales.
Their aim was to set up an environment education project to tell people about trees, raising awareness of the importance of forests across the world.
GreenWood opened in 1993 and each year after that the family introduced a new ride using the criteria that each had to comprise an exercise or low-energy element.
Staff at GreenWood wrote: “Steve and Andrea created the highly successful basis for the park as it is today - and that green and sustainability message lives on.”
Stephen and Andrea were made MBEs for services to tourism in 2009.
GreenWood staff added: “Steve was particularly proud of the positive impact of employing young local people and the transferable skills this provided. Recognised across the North Wales tourism industry as an incredible man with extraordinary vision, Steve will be sorely missed by all at GreenWood and in the industry.
“His legacy lives on at the park.”