The world is a beautiful place that sadly is being gradually ruined by industry. Throughout the last hundred or so years, and since the Industrial Revolution, we have been slowly burning all the available energy-rich substances we can find and massacring ancient forestry in order to make way for plantations and farmlands. As global demand is ever increasing, we need to look towards a more sustainable future on this planet.
One such way we have of ensuring that we do not destroy the planet for the sake of a profit is by creating conservation areas. These range from areas of natural beauty, including national parks and iconographic landscapes, to urban conservation areas such as historic town centres, country houses and 18-19th Century suburbs, which are protected by English Heritage.
Urban conservation areas are decreed to be areas of special architectural or historical importance, and cannot be built upon or destroyed. In the UK alone there are now over 9,600 designated conservation areas including such landmarks as Alexandra Palace and Park, Bank and Guildhall in London. Even performing alterations on your property in one of these areas, such as installing new windows and doors, must first pass through the Local Council in order to be approved. If you get the green light, they will give Article 4 directions to go ahead with your planned modifications, though you must keep within strict parameters. You are also restricted from cutting down trees without Council permission, and often many trees are considered to contribute to the character of the conservation area and are therefore placed under a Tree Preservation Order.
The conservation of forests and natural areas of beauty is something close to our hearts at Hugo Carter and is the reason why we plant a tree for every order placed with us. We believe that we cannot just take from the planet but have a responsibility to give back. As such, every time one of our bespoke windows or doors is purchased, we plant a tree in the wonderful area of Bisham Woods. A nature reserve, designed in the 1970s to be an area of ‘Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest’, Bisham Woods is also hailed to be the richest ancient woods in the whole of Berkshire.
According to the latest research by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), over half of the planet’s forest have been irreparably altered, destroyed or repurposed. What remains is itself subject to a plethora of misuses by those with no care for the effects they are having upon global environment. In keeping with this, we also strictly follow the legislation set out by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and source all of our materials responsibly, ensuring that all products are approved by the FSC. In order to ensure a brighter tomorrow, we must first shine the spotlight on our time and no longer hide in the shadows of ignorance.
Image by Didimendum1