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| Representatives from Diageo’s Speyside East distilleries receive life membership certificates from Alan Watson Featherstone (far right) of Trees for Life, at Drummuir Castle. |
Staff from six Moray distilleries are helping to bring Scotland’s ancient Caledonian Forest back from the brink by taking up life memberships of conservation charity Trees for Life.
Representatives from the Speyside East distilleries, run by leading drinks company Diageo, recently received life membership certificates from Trees for Life’s Executive Director Alan Watson Featherstone at a special event at Drummuir Castle, Diageo’s home of Scotch Whisky on Speyside.
Matthew Desmond, who works at Mortlach Distillery near Dufftown, developed the scheme in order to promote the importance of a healthy
environment for the Scotch whisky industry. He involved colleagues from neighbouring distilleries, and funded the life memberships through a £1,500 personal donation to Trees for Life. Diageo matched Matthew’s donation with a further £1,500.
environment for the Scotch whisky industry. He involved colleagues from neighbouring distilleries, and funded the life memberships through a £1,500 personal donation to Trees for Life. Diageo matched Matthew’s donation with a further £1,500.
“We are really proud to be supporting Trees for Life’s restoration of the Caledonian Forest. A healthy environment benefits everyone, and my colleagues and I were keen to play our part in helping to bring new life to the stunning wild landscapes of the Highlands,” said Matthew.
Alan Watson Featherstone said: “I’d like to thank Matthew and his colleagues for their inspiring action. At Trees for Life, we depend on the support of our members to fund our vital conservation work. Members make a real difference to our project to restore Scotland’s equivalent of a rainforest and to create a brighter future for the special wildlife of the Highlands.”
Only a fraction of the former Caledonian Forest now survives, but Trees for Life has planted more than one million trees at dozens of locations, and has created 10,000 acres of new forest. It has pledged to establish one million more trees by planting and natural regeneration within the next five years. Almost all of the charity’s practical conservation work is carried out by volunteers.
People can support Trees for Life by becoming members and by funding dedicated trees and groves. The charity’s Conservation Weeks allow people to gain practical conservation experience in beautiful locations. For more details, see www.treesforlife.org.uk or call .
