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Haigh Hall and Country Park is now the home of one of the world’s oldest
and rarest plants, the Wollemi Pine Tree.
After a recent staff visit to Kew Gardens, the wardens at Haigh Hall and
Country Park decided to assist in the conservation effort and, thanks to
a grant from Red Rose Forest, bought their own Wollemi Pine.
The tree, which has been planted in a secret location at the Country
Park for protection, will make Haigh part of one of the most dramatic
comebacks in natural history.
Dating back to the time of the dinosaurs, there are now less than one
hundred adult trees known to exist in the wild and the Wollemi Pine is
now the focus of extensive research to safeguard its survival.
Only a select few researchers are permitted to see the Wollemi Pine in
the wild. However, members of the public can see trees at the Royal
Botanic Gardens in Kew and Wakehurst, the Eden Project and now at our
very own Haigh Hall and Country Park.
Claire Duffy, Deputy Manager for Haigh Hall and Country Park, part of
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, said: “We are delighted to have a new
addition to our family of trees at Haigh. We are waiting for the tree to
establish itself before identifying the exact location of this natural
and rare treasure but what I can tell you is that it is somewhere in our
walled gardens. We really hope that visitors will take pride in Haigh’s
contribution to conserving one of the world’s oldest plants.”
Wollemi is an aboriginal word meaning ‘look around you, keep your eyes
open and watch out’. When visiting Haigh Hall and Country Park, those
interested in the Wollemi Pine should look out for a conifer with
attractive, dark green foliage, bubbly bark and multiple trunks.
For more information contact Claire Duffy on 01942 832895 or to find out
more about Haigh Hall and Country Park visit
www.haighhall.net
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NOTES TO EDITORS: For further information on this News Release please
contact Chris Dunbar, Media and Public Relations Manager, on 01942
486937 or at
c.dunbar@wlct.org
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust: Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust is a
charitable trust working on behalf of Wigan Council to manage and
support leisure and cultural facilities, initiatives and events for over
300,000 residents in the Wigan Borough. See
www.wlct.org
Getting Wigan Active: Getting Wigan Active is Wigan Leisure and Culture
Trust’s vision to help people across the Wigan Borough to become more
physically, mentally and creatively active. It also aims to increase
community activity and to encourage good citizenship.
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(from left to right) Alan Wood, Senior Park
Warden; Claire Duffy, Haigh Deputy Manager; Adele Keating, Park Warden
(holding tree) and Jenny Metcalfe, Park Warden.
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