DZG has a green future, thanks to a gift inspired by family memories from the past nine decades.
Long-term supporter, Sheila Lowe, from Stourbridge, contacted us after learning that gardeners are planting hundreds of trees across our 40-acre wooded hillside site.
Sheila, 82, said: “I read about the trees in ZooNooz and I wanted to contribute in some way as we’ve had lots of good times at the zoo as a family, so I decided to donate a couple of trees.”
The trees have been planted in memory of her parents – Gilbert and Laura Allen who met in the gardens in the 1920s and her late husband, Gerald, who spent many happy years visiting the zoo with Sheila and their children and grandchildren.
Sheila added: “I’ve supported lots of animals over the years, but I can’t get up on site as much as I’d like now. I still sponsor Inca and snow leopards Margaash and Nanga, but thought sponsoring trees would be a nice way to remember my parents and celebrate all the special times we’ve spent at DZG as a family.”
Head Gardener Carl Stevens purchased a maple and a beech tree with the donation which have been planted on the lawn adjacent to the Reptile House.
Carl – pictured above – said: “It was very kind of Sheila to think of us and we were delighted to add to our tree collection.
“We hope they will flourish for years to come and be a fitting way to commemorate her family ties with the site.”