Visitors to the Forest of Marston Vale's Millennium Country Park at Marston Moretaine can now expect to get a little more from a trip to the amenity.

Thanks to funding of over £40,000 from Waste Recycling Environmental Ltd (WREN), the Forest team has carried out improvements to make the park even more welcoming, increase visitor knowledge about the park's wildlife, landscape and history, and improve access around the site.


New outdoor welcome panels have been installed at eight or the park's ten entrance points to encourage people to come in and explore the Park.

They feature easy-to-read maps that outline the park's walking, cycling and riding trails and show habitats, bird hides, playgrounds, café and even the locations of benches and bins.

Working closely with the Bedfordshire Natural History Society and Butterfly Conservation, the Forest Team has also created information panels which reveal fascinating facts and offer valuable insights into the park's ecology and history.

Situated within the park's County Wildlife Site along the western edge of Stewartby Lake, the new panels highlight the wild flowers and butterflies which can be spotted; reveal more about the dragonfly population and the value of wetland habitats; and outline the history of the area, the brickworks and the recreational and wildlife value of Stewartby Lake.

Alexis Pym, senior ranger at the park, said: "This area is incredibly valuable for its orchid and butterfly population though it is often perceived by visitors as being sparsely vegetated and offering harsh conditions for wildlife.

"In fact, the area is ideal for wildflowers and the undulating ground creates pockets of sheltered areas for the butterflies to rest in. It's great that new on-site information can now convey to visitors the richness of their surroundings and explain how we manage the landscape to encourage an even more diverse range of plants and wildlife."

WREN was set up by Waste Recycling Group (WRG) in 1997 to deliver projects that benefit the environment and people living within ten miles of a landfill site.

Tony Talbot, chief executive of the Marston Vale Trust, said: ""We are very grateful to WREN for this substantial funding which has enabled us to make very valuable and much needed improvements around the Park.

"We know over 350,000 visitors come to the park every year – this investment goes a long way in helping everyone to feel welcome, confident to explore new areas of the Park and better informed about what makes this landscape such a special place to be."

The Millennium Country Park is just a few minutes drive away from Milton Keynes and Bedford, is open all year round for all kinds of relaxation and recreation.

Spanning 225 hectares, the park is a mix of woodland, wetland and grassland with both formal and wild areas. This year the Millennium Country Park achieved Green Flag status for the second year running.

For further information call the Forest Centre on 01234 7767037 or visit: www.marstonvale.org