Community groups have been picking up new skills and supporting wildlife under the stewardship of a nearby conservation charity.

Worcestershire Wildlife Trust has hosted learning experiences for community groups, including students from Wildgoose Rural Training at Monkwood nature reserve.

To gain some experience in practical conservation, the community group students used coppiced hazel taken from Monkwood to craft hurdles under the guidance of professional hurdle maker Alistair Hayhurst.

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The hurdles will be installed at Monkwood to safeguard newly planted apple trees as part of the trust's ongoing restoration project.

Julie Grainger, engagement officer for the Green Farm restoration project, said: "It’s fantastic to get students from Wildgoose on site and involved in a project from start to finish - from planting trees, coppicing hazel to making the hurdles that they’ll then take back to Monkwood to protect the trees they planted."

She added: "We hope that students can return later in the year to plant more trees in our orchard and to build more hurdles to protect them.

“This is just one of the groups that we are working with in the local area.

"In an effort to connect young people with nature, we have also been tree and hedge planting on site with nearby schools.”

Part of a wider initiative to connect young people with nature, community groups are also participating in tree and hedge planting at nearby schools.

Wildgoose, based just outside of Hallow, hosts land-based activities to groups with learning disabilities, autism, and mental health issues.

Roger Bates, wildlife reserve manager and senior tutor at Wildgoose, said: "The students have all enjoyed the experience, learnt some new skills, and we’re also using the products of the coppicing back at the training centre to make hazel hurdles and stakes.

"It has been a really positive connection for all involved."

The trust's community collaborations align with their broader project to restore Green Farm land.

Funding for the project been provided by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Severn Waste Services, and The Banister Charitable Trust, which has been supplemented by public donations.