Park to benefit from anonymous donation
ONE of Cardiff’s most beautiful parks is about to get even prettier thanks to a significant donation made by a private donor.
Dozens of new trees are to be planted in the gardens of Bute Park over the next fortnight after a generous contribution was made by an annonymous individual, Cardiff council has announced.
There will be 40 added in total to the more than 3,000 nationally significant specimens in the historic park’s collection.
Speaking about their decision to support the park, the private donor said: “I am a regular visitor to Bute Park, and the woodland and arboretum areas have given me pleasure over many years.
“As a thank you, I decided to fund the purchase of some new and replacement trees, so both I and others can have the pleasure of watching them grow for years to come.”
The council’s budget for this work may be supplemented by grant-funding and private donations.
Cabinet Member for Environment, Coun Bob Derbyshire, said: “Investing in the Bute Park arboretum is one of the ways we’re supporting the aims of the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.
“The generous private donations we receive show just how important Bute Park is to the people of Cardiff and, thanks to the support of individuals like this donor, alongside our annual investment, the fantastic tree collection will continue to bring pleasure to current and future generations.”
Also contributing to the collection is RSPB Cymru’s Giving Nature a Home in Cardiff project, in partnership with the City of Cardiff Council, which helps thousands of children and families in Cardiff get closer to nature.
The planting is designed to offset the carbon footprint of last summer’s popular virtual-reality experience, In the Eyes of the Animal.
Bute Park has more champion trees than any public park in the UK.
Champion trees are exceptional examples of their species because they are either the tallest or broadest specimen in the British Isles.
Visitors to Bute Park can learn more about its trees by exploring the tree labels on site or visiting the Education Centre for more information.