Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire has created a new home for Tusk’s striking ‘Not For Sale’ garden. This unique exhibit was designed to raise awareness of the devastating slaughter of endangered African elephant populations for the ivory trade.
The striking garden first appeared at the 2017 RHS Hampton Court Flower Show, where the creation by Ivy & Whyte Garden Design won a silver in the conceptual garden category. The ‘Not For Sale’ garden has now been installed at ‘Elephant Junction’ in Woburn’s Foot Safari. The installation of the garden comes as the government announces plans for tough new legislation banning the trade of a wide range of ivory products regardless of their age.
Attending the official launch on Tuesday 17th July, Tusk CEO & Co-founder, Charlie Mayhew MBE, said: “We are delighted that Woburn Safari Park has generously agreed to recreate this dramatic Tusk garden to highlight the crisis facing Africa’s elephants. Our aim is to capture the public’s imagination whilst also delivering a powerful message about the devastating impact of the global ivory trade.
We are extremely grateful to Woburn for all their continued and invaluable support of Tusk’s conservation work and we hope visitors to the Safari Park will be inspired to help Tusk protect Africa’s wildlife for future generations.”
With the ambiance of the African savannah – planted with grasses and plants – visitors can go on an emotive journey through the installation, where elephant ‘bones’ (made of fibreglass resin) lie in dust as a grave reminder of the ivory trade’s devastating impact. Interpretive signs enhance the learning experience; educating the public on the elephants’ plight, the ivory trade and what they can do to help.
