Water is a limited and valuable resource but is also essential for plant growth. We want to encourage everyone to consider water conservation and to use resources in a more sustainable way, whilst at the same time reducing carbon emissions and saving money.
Rainwater Harvesting
Water requires electric to pump and clean, so we have installed a rainwater harvesting system. We don't water our plants when they are out in the collection but we do nurture seedlings in the propagation unit. This is the life blood of the collection and ensure global conservation work and efforts are conserved and efficient.
This system meant through the 2023 drought we didn't need to use bore hole water!
This new rainwater filter system is a first for Forestry England and will reduce the amount of water being used; completing the facilities that support the new Quarantine House in the arboretum’s Propagation Unit.
Based on an average year’s rainfall, the system has the capacity to collect a massive 90,000 litres of rainwater per year and its collection tanks can store nearly 26,000 litres that’s equivalent to 132 bathtubs of water.