| National Trust to sell semi-recycled leather walking boots – made in China Brown leather boots lead the way in a range of National Trust clothing to become available to the public at its shopsStout shoes, fleeces and anoraks used to be the unofficial uniform of most National Trust members. Now lovers of the countryside and stately homes can get hold of the real thing: official National Trust walking boots.The brown leather boots, tastefully adorned with the trust's oak leaf symbol, are now in offer in trust shops alongside more traditional offerings such as pot pourri and pewter ornaments.The not-altogether memorably named Altitude IV WPi NT Enviro is the first step in a sartorial revolution under way at the trust, which is to also offer its wardens and volunteers the chance to step out in hoodies, funky fleeces and trousers that zip away into shorts as part of a revamped uniform. "We're moving away from the colour green," explained Phillippa Green, brand licensing manager for the trust, today.The new boot, produced thanks to a new deal with British manufacturer Hi-Tec, is described as "environmentally considered". Its sole is made from 15% recycled plastic bottles, its sock liner is 100% recycled, the steel shank for stability is made from 90% recycled steel, and it's being sold in a recycled box with handles (to remove the need for carrier bags) and on the tag is a tiny packet of wild flower seeds."A lot of heart and soul and sweat and tears has gone into this boot," said Helen Durant, Hi-Tec marketing manager.But she admitted that the boot, which is manufactured in China, is far from environmentally flawless. "We are not overselling this product as environmentally 'wow'. It's not 100% recycled. It's a small step for us as a brand."Since the National Trust currently cares for almost as much land as the entire county of Derbyshire, there is plenty of scope to put the boot through its paces on trust soil.Yesterday the Guardian path-tested it on a meandering trail through one of the Trust's oldest and best-loved properties, Box Hill on the North Downs in Surrey. In the event, the "three season" boot, which costs £85 and will be available in Millets as well as Trust shops, coped stoically with the rain and treacherous chalky slopes of Box Hill. It proved an instantly comfortable, lightweight boot well-suited to rambling, skipping over sheep poo and resisting the urge to kick spectacular blooms of fly agaric and other autumn fungi.While the revamped trust uniforms will only be available to rangers and volunteers, the boot is merely the pioneer of a new range of National Trust clobber available to the public.An autumn 2011 collection will include jackets, fleeces, trousers and anoraks, while next spring will see the launch of National Trust branded socks and sandals. To be worn together, obviously.Walking holidaysFashionRecyclingPatrick Barkhamguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Three injured in chemical blaze Three people suffer serious burns in a major fire at a waste management plant in Burscough, West Lancashire. bbc.co.uk |
Yellow box camera raises £1 million a year It has been called the "money box" - a traffic camera at a yellow box junction in Battersea, south London is raising a million pounds a year in fines levied on hapless motorists. telegraph.co.uk |
Wild mushroom foraging is damaging forests, warn nature groups Wild mushroom foraging for commercial gain damaging local ecology, say RSPB, National Trust and Forestry CommissionThe fashion for collecting wild mushrooms began with celebrity chefs such as Antonio Carluccio, and has been encouraged by those with a revived interest in local food, such as Jamie Oliver.This year's wet summer and mild autumn has produced bumper crops of colourful wax caps, common ceps and luscious chanterelles.But this new generation of foodies and foragers are beginning to trample the forests and fields that feed them – as well as many animals and insects, warn those who look after the UK's woodlands and nature reserves.Concern is particularly high at some of the country's best-known beauty spots, including the New Forest, Epping Forest, and around the North Downs hills and the Chilterns.So serious is the problem in some areas that a few big collectors, found with bagfuls of mushrooms from one trip, are being prosecuted. In just one weekend earlier this month, forest managers reportedly confiscated 45kg (100lbs) of fungi at a site near London.Conservation managers and organisations appear to agree that small-scale collecting for personal use is not the problem. The Forestry Commission and the National Trust organise courses to help people identify safe mushrooms and teach how to collect them without damaging the surrounding landscape. Crucially, collectors are also urged to leave enough behind for the deer, rabbits, mice and insects such as flies and beetles, which also feast on fungi.Matthew Oates of the National Trust, which is one of the UK's biggest land owners, said: "If one or two people visit a place and pick a few, that's probably not much of a problem. But if a couple of people go there repeatedly, visit the same place and collect as many as possible for commercial gain, that could be a problem."Not everybody is worried. Carluccio, who has written two books about his passion for mushrooms and presented a BBC2 series on the subject, still goes collecting for his family's use, and believes environmental fears are exaggerated.Carluccio said that this year's bumper crop, and the parallel reduction in mushroom species that are not collected for eating suggest fungiphiles are not the problem. He also points out that once a mushroom cap is open it has released breeding spores, and that centuries of collection in other countries in Europe, such as Italy and France, have not appeared to lead to long-term damage."The mushrooms are there every year, so it's not true that picking mushrooms would destroy the place," Carluccio said.The chef, who does not use wild mushrooms in his cafes and delis, believes there should be licences for commercial collectors to ensure they behave responsibly, as there are in many other European countries. "There should be more discipline in collecting: not trampling everything, not destroying everything and to be limited to what you can consume. But don't deprive people of the wonders of going to the woods for the mushrooms," he added.Despite Carluccio's comments, there are plenty who are worried. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said commercial collecting was a growing problem on its reserves near London and other cities. The National Trust is also worried about commercial collectors, especially on the sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) that it manages and warned that it is illegal to collect in protected areas. Several SSSIs are in the New Forest in south-west England, which is managed by the Forestry Commission, which reported that "fungi picking is becoming an increasing problem … with more and more large-scale, potentially commercial picking being observed year-on-year".Perhaps one of the most visited SSSIs, is Epping Forest, on the north-east edge of London, where keepers report that illegal fungi picking has reached record highs this year. Individuals have been found with five bags full of mushrooms at a time, including poisonous species. This has led managers to suspect they are being collected commercially for sorting elsewhere. The City of London Corporation, which owns the forest, has already issued 20 formal warnings this year. It has successfully prosecuted one person and is currently prosecuting a further six."Fungi play a vital role in the ecology of all natural habitats," said Keith French, the forest services manager. "They are nature's recyclers, as they break down organic matter from plants and animals. Many creatures feed on fungi, and they are host to some rare invertebrates that are unique to these ancient woodlands.He added: "We welcome people visiting the forest and admiring the many fascinating shapes, forms and colours the fungi world has to offer, but please leave them there for the next visitor and future generations to enjoy."ForestsFoodInsectsFood & drinkJuliette Jowitguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
TA Bomb hunter returns to desk after six months in Helmand An office worker has told how she swapped the safety of her desk job for a terrifying role on the Afghan front line as a part-time landmine hunter. telegraph.co.uk |