The owner of a wildlife park near Ipswich met with a Suffolk MP at a visit to Parliament this week.
Jimmy Doherty, the owner and founder of Jimmy's Farm in Wherstead met up with South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge at the Great British Wildlife Restoration awards on Tuesday, January 20.
The park was included on the 26 place short list for work to save Britain's most endangered native tree, the black poplar.
Featuring in John Constable's famous painting, The Hay Wain, the black poplar has been in decline for decades with only around 7,000 trees remaining.
To save the species, a clone bank of black poplar trees was planted at Jimmy's Farm, with other banks found at Dedham Vale and Nowton Park.
South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge said: "A real pleasure to catch up with Jimmy Doherty from Jimmy's Farm & Wildlife Park in Parliament yesterday. He was here for the Great British Wildlife Restoration Awards which celebrate initiatives in native species conservation.
"Jimmy’s Farm had been nominated for their ‘Clone Bank for Black Poplar’ project which aims to save one of the UK’s rarest trees whilst boosting genetic diversity across East Anglia."
The project missed out on the award, with the Wildwood Trust winning for their work to reintroduce Water Voles to rivers in Britain.
Last year, Jimmy's Farm applied for planning permission back in December for a new enclosure to be built as part of the park for lions.
More than a month on from the plans going into Babergh District Council, there is an overwhelming number of people supporting the plans.
Environmental Health at Babergh District Council said they have no objection, but the area must be home to just carnivorous animals, and any other animals on the application site would need to have a noise impact assessment carried out, and no lighting shall be installed without the written permission of the LPA.
Published by the Ipswich Star.
