A group of budding volunteers are this week learning the ancient craft of hedge-laying at one of the borough’s local nature reserves.

More than 20 volunteers from local conservation groups, local friends groups and the Butterfly Conservation will take part in the training event at Saltwells Nature Reserve to learn the traditional technique for creating and managing hedgerows.

The three-day event is led by Dudley Council’s countryside services with professional hedgelayer Paul O’Hagan. Volunteers will learn how to weave shrubs together to provide a barrier and habitats for wildlife such as birds, insects and small mammals. Councillor Hilary Bills, cabinet member for environmental services, said:

“We’re lucky in the borough to have some beautiful green open spaces and we recognise how it important it is to preserve them.  As a community council, we’re really pleased to be working with our volunteers and look forward to sharing these ancient skills, which help protect our hedgerows and wildlife.”

The volunteers from the Butterfly Conservation will use the skills they learn as part of a project they are working on in Stourbridge, in partnership with the council, to improve the habitats for Scarlet Tiger Moths, a rare species in the borough. There are also volunteers from a number of different countryside sites.

Anyone interested in volunteering at one of the council-run nature reserves, can call 0300 555 2345.