SALES of the 2013 Wainwright Society calendar have raised £10,000 – which has been presented to Cumbria Wildlife Trust in support of the Uplands for Juniper project.

A cheque was presented to Michelle Waller, senior development officer at the trust, at the society’s annual meeting at Staveley.

It has been used to secure grants from Wren and the SITA Trust landfill communities tax funders – meaning the donation has secured £100,000 in match-funding.

The money has allowed a re-survey of all the stands of juniper recorded in a 1970s survey, showing that the health of juniper trees has declined over the past 40 years.

However, during the past year, 47 volunteers under the direction of Mike Douglas, have re-planted 3,000 saplings with the result that the long-term future viability of juniper is now more secure.

The Uplands for Juniper project, which started in April 2011, will run for three years. The society previously donated £2,000 to the project in May 2012.