Partners - if you would like to more about about partnering the Forest of Marston Vale, please contact mike.hitchcock@marstonvale.org or call 01234-762610

To transform the the Marston Vale from a damaged landscape with 3% woodland cover in 1991 to a well wooded landscape with 30% woodland cover by 2030 is a massive and very exciting challenge. The transformation can only happen by the Forest Team working in partnership with Government, the Local Authorities, developers, business and the local community. Since 1991, the broad and successful partnerships have resulted in publicly accessible, native broad leaf woodland cover increasing to 8% across the Marston Vale.

Key partnerships have been developed and very significant funding of over £20 million has been brought into the Marston Vale since 1991.

Case Studies:

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) – in 2004, the Marston Vale Trust was awarded a total of £2.9 million to seed fund an ambitious suite of projects collectively named ‘Breathing Spaces’. The team has successfully delivered Breathing Spaces on time and on budget with the following outcomes: Purchase of land and creation of new community woodland at: Kempston Wood End (Buttons Ramsey, 8 hectares), Iron Gate Corner (Ridgeway Wood 13.4 hectares), Cranfield (Rectory Wood 7.5 hectares), Shortstown (Shocott Spring 52 hectares) and Houghton Conquest (Conquest Wood 8 hectares). In additional to the creation of new community woodland, funds from ODPM were used to complete the National Cycle Network 51 between Blunham and Sandy with the restoration of the Blunham viaduct over the Ivel Valley and a contribution from ODPM completed the funding required to deliver the Swans Legacy statue on the Marsh Leys roundabout at Marsh Leys.

CLG approved a £2.3 million bid from the Forest in April 2006 for the Forest to acquire the Grange Estate at WIllington and masterplan the creation of Bedford River Valley Park. The Framework document was completed and published in April 2008. This exciting opportunity could lead to the creation of a 2000 acre park running from Priory Country Park out to Willington with a mixture of habitat creation and recreational facilities which could include a rowing lake for Bedford. For more info - go to www.marstonvale.org/brvp

GrantScape (Landfill Communities Fund) – previously Shanks.first fund - The Forest has received very significant funding over the years from GrantScape including £2 million towards the construction of the Forest Centre and Millennium County Park, £1.8 million for the National Cycle Network 51 linking Milton Keynes to Bedford and onto Sandy, the delivery of Lodge Road pocket park at Cranfield and the sensory wildlife garden at the Forest Centre. Recently, GrantScape contributed towards the appointment of Senior Ranger (Alexis Pym) at the Millennium Country Park

Millennium Commission – the Forest Centre and Millennium County Park is one of 30 Millennium Projects funded by the Millennium Commission. A £2 million contribution was made by the Commission towards a £6 million project which has created the focal point for the Forest Team and a 250 hectare country park.

Bedfordshire County Council – BCC first conceived and promoted the idea of the Marston Vale becoming one of England’s 12 Community Forests. In the early years, Beds CC employed the Forest Team and helped steer the vision behind the Forest Plan. Bedfordshire County Council continues to give valuable support and is a significant customer of the Forest Centre, which it uses as a conference and training venue.

Mid Bedfordshire District Council – provides political support and guidance to the Trust. The Forest Team is working closely with Mid Beds Planners to ensure that development makes its fair contribution towards the creation of the Forest of Marston Vale.

Bedford Borough Council – contributes project funding to the Forest Team. By way of an example, the Borough Council contributed £50,000 towards the creation of the Swans Legacy sculpture at Marsh Leys. The Forest Team work closely with the Borough Planners to ensure that development in the Marston Vale contributes towards the creation of the Forest. This is well illustrated at Wootton where Berry Wood (40 acres) was created and managed by the Borough ahead of the development of over 1000 dwellings at Wootton.

English Nature’s Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund – a contribution of  £220,000 enabled Marston Vale Trust to secure the purchase of 70 hectares of arable land at Rectory Farm, Cranfield for the creation of community woodland adjacent to Marston Thrift.

Both Cranfield Parish Council and Houghton Conquest Parish Council have made valuable contributions to Marston Vale Trust to enable the Trusty to secure and deliver new community woodland in their parish. This demonstrates an extraordinary endorsement by the local community of the aims of the Trust to deliver community benefits in the Marston Vale.

Heritage Lottery Fund – see oral history project.

Countryside Agency – has been a very long term partner to the Forest of Marston Vale and for many of the early years was a key funding partner of all 12 Community Forests across England. In 2005, all core funding by the Countryside Agency ceased. However, project funding has continued for Lets Go www.letsgo.org.uk  and the Healthy Walking www.walk4health.org Initiative.