WORK to improve an important butterfly habitat is due to start at Worcestershire Wildlife Trust’s Trench Wood nature reserve, which is between Droitwich and Worcester.

The work will involve clearing 30 metre rides through the woodland in order to create sunny open spaces with plenty of wildflowers and sheltered scrubby areas – perfect butterfly habitat.

Work will also be taking place to create glades within the woodland. This will encourage the growth of oaks, increase the diversity of woodland flowers and help birds such as spotted flycatchers, James Hitchcock, conservation officer for the nature reserve, said: “The work to re-establish some of the rides may look quite drastic in places, but it’s absolutely essential.

“By opening up these areas we’ll be helping flowers, such as the common spotted orchid, and butterflies like the uncommon silver-washed fritillary which need oak trees that grow close to flowering violets to lay their eggs on.

“Violets will only flower if sunlight can get down to the ground flora, which is why this work is so important,” he said.

“While the Harris Brush Company, which owned the wood from the 1960s, left many of the trees in the woodland, they did undertake extensive clearance and planting of non-native and non-traditional trees for their business. We’re slowly removing the planted trees and encouraging the growth of our native trees. This will ensure suitable habitat for flowers, insects, birds and other wildlife.”

The wildlife trust owns about two thirds of the woodland complex near Sale Green – slightly more than 100 acres.

Trench Wood was bought by the trust and Butterfly Conservation in 1986 because of its importance for butterflies and scrub nesting warblers.

Contractors will begin the work in the next two to three weeks and it will last up to six weeks.

For more information about the work of the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust visit worcswildlifetrust.co.uk For information about volunteering at Trench Wood contact Paul Trevor, volunteer co-ordinator, on 01905 754919 or paul@worcestershirewildlifetrust.org