A newly planted woodland at Long Lands Common has been named after Harrogate conservationist Keith Wilkinson.
Mr Wilkinson founded Bilton Conservation Group and has played a key role in protecting local green belt land.
He was asked to unveil a new woodland sign on Saturday and to his surprise discovered it was named Wilkinson Wood.
The 1.62-hectare site consists of 740 trees that are a mixture of nine native broadleaf trees: sessile oak, English oak, wild cherry, bird cherry, common alder, aspen, field maple, hazel and goat willow.
The honour was bestowed at the third AGM of Long Lands Common, the community-owned woodland near Bilton created on land saved from the threat of a new road.
Keith Wilkinson at Oak Beck
Mr Wilkinson played a major role in that campaign as well as the project to open Nidderdale Greenway to walkers and cyclists. He was awarded an MBE in 2013.
He said:
“I opened my speech with the Greek proverb which says that a society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in. I was then ready to unveil the plaque before continuing with my speech. My jaw dropped when I discovered my name was on it. What a wonderful surprise!
“We’ve also planted over 50,000 trees in Nidd Gorge, and these will all link up together with Wilkinson Wood like a mosaic, with wildlife passing freely down the corridors.
“This is such positive news in a time when wildlife is really struggling on a local and national level. We all need to play our part in helping to support nature, and I commend everyone involved and thank them for all their hard work in creating Wilkinson Wood. I feel very honoured indeed.”
Chris Kitson, secretary of Long Lands Common, introduced Mr Wilkinson to the 100 people looking on as “the man who has done more than anybody else we know to bang the drum for nature and conservation”.
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The AGM also saw Long Lands Common members elect new board members, agree a new organisational structure and formally begin its partnership with Knaresborough Forest Park.
Talking about the partnership, Mr Kitson said:
”It made perfect sense and it was the right thing to do, and completely in line with our objectives as a community benefit society — to protect the green belt and the green spaces between Harrogate and Knaresborough, and preserve them as a space for education and recreation for the people of our towns, now and for the future.”