Ever since the local authority acquired the park they have been adding adjacent land as and when it became available and when sufficient funding could be found. Longer term this is still the plan, building upon what has already been achieved to make this Stockton’s largest and most popular country park. However, funding is not always available to the local authority when land comes up for sale, so to assist with this the Environmental Trust and the Friends Group are actively involved in building up funds for future expansion of the park.

A feasibility study has recently been undertaken to establish a ‘rare breeds’ farm on the park. The conclusions of which were that it is both desirable and possible but that no suitable land is anticipated to become available in the short term. Consequently this has become a longer-term aim.

In the short-term sustainable and renewable energy sources are projects that the park is very keen to investigate and promote. We have had tests, in collaboration with the University of Teesside and the Tees Forest, to use a willow ‘biomass’ located in Stoney Field. This willow has been coppiced and used as a natural and sustainable source of fuel for the future; this also offers a new economic opportunity for rural areas. Such energy crops are carbon neutral and therefore, in substitution for fossil fuels, have the potential to reduce carbon dioxide.