P464 Teletext 464 Mar 2 22:48:17 O ———————— ———————————— WORLD OF WILLOW Willow is a big part of Nigel Hector's life. It's been in his family since the early 1930s and his son has just joined the family firm in Somerset. Nigel's firm English Hurdle is now the country's leading willow company making fences, garden chairs and baskets. The native British wood was widely used until plastic took over shortly after the war. Now it's welcomed by rural firms and environmentalists. ——————————————————————————————————1/5—— Write to the eco-letters page 464 e-mail: GoGrien@teletext.co.uk Fax: 0171 386 7516 Events Feature News Club 440P464 Teletext 464 Mar 2 22:09:42 O ———————— ———————————— WORLD OF WILLOW Willow is keeping local youngsters in work and wildlife happy in the Somerset flats. The trees are coppiced (cut) annually and orders are flooding in. "It's picKing up. It's tremendous," says willow firm boss Nigel Hector. Somerset has the right soil for willow and as a result produces the best in the world. Few chemicals are used to produce it. ——————————————————————————————————2/5—— Eco-litters: Mondays p464. Write to: Letters to: GO GREEN, PO BOX 297 LONDON, SW6 1XT. Fax: 0171 386 5618. Events Feature News Club 440P464 Teletext 464 Mar 2 22:47:14 O ———————— ———————————— WORLD OF WILLOW The demand for willow has exceeded Nigel Hector's expectations. It's not just used for furniture and fencing but it can prevent soil erosion near rivers A live willow stake is driven deep into the bank. It continues to grow and attracts wildlife. Willow trees are planted in between them forming a wall. "Cattle trim the willow down — it's going back to medieval times," Nigel told Teletext. ——————————————————————————————————3/5—— Eco-letters: Mondays p464 WJ TALK TO GLENDA JACKSON p463P464 Teletext 464 Mar 2 22:05:39 O ———————— ———————————— WORLD OF WILLOW Willow growers English Hurdle have won 1996's Rural Business Award and will be using their £6,000 prize money wisely. "It'll go towards a propjt willow cutter. Ours is about 20 years old," says boss Nigel Hector. The company owns 100 acres of land around the site where it grows two traditional types of willow. Trials have started on 17 more varieties. ——————————————————————————————————4/5—— Eco-litters: Mondays p464. Write to: GO GREEN, PO BOX 297 LONDON, SW6 1XT. Fax: 0171 386 5618. Events Feature News Club 440P464 Teletext 464 Mar 2 22:38:42 ————————————————————————————— Does road building drive you mad? Do live animal exports get your goat? If you have anything to say about the latest environmental issues, tell us! Letters must not exceed 60 words and might bj amended. Write to: Eco Views, Teletext, PO Box 297, London, SW6 1QT Fax: 0171 386 7808 5/5 ——————————————————————————————————————— e-mail: GoGreen@teletext.co.uk ALL THE LATEST GREEN NEWS p461 Events Feature News Club 440