A NEWLY formed group of volunteer park rangers are to rebuild a wildlife habitat hedge to launch their WildXscapes @ Stewart Park scheme.
Students from Unity City Academy are the first to sign up for one of the groups at the Middlesbrough park.
WildXscapes Junior, Young and Volunteer Rangers – supported by The Friends of Stewart Park and park staff – will hold environmental and conservation workshops to increase awareness of wild native plants and animals.
The first task they will undertake will be to pull apart and rebuild a Brash hedge made of pruned branches, twigs and green waste from trees and shrubs collected from within Stewart Park, the hedge provides a valuable habitat for wildlife in the park.
Nicky Morgan, from Stewart Park, said of the whole WildXscapes Rangers project: “The groups will help to further involve the local community in the life of the park, with a key focus on the creation and management of wildlife habitats.
“They’ll play a pivotal role in the creation of three separate differing habitats in the park – wet meadow, woodlands and wild flower meadow – as well as creating an Eco-hub classroom/social space which will be used for events and activities.
“Rangers will be involved in every stage of the project from consultation, development, planting and building structures through to helping maintain the completed areas.”
Schools across the town have been invited to get involved – but the groups are aimed at everyone up to the age of 25.
Young Rangers will learn how to use a selection of hand tools, identify native wild plants and animals and carry out surveys, plant trees, bulbs and plants along with much more.
Volunteer Rangers do not need experience but an interest in native plants, wildlife and working outdoors with like-minded people is essential.
Junior Rangers – aged five to 13yrs – meet from 9.30am to 11.30am on the fourth Saturday of each month from September 26.
Young Rangers – aged 13 to 25yrs – will meet from 10.30am to 1.30pm on the fourth Sunday of each month from September 27.
Volunteer Rangers (16+) meet every Tuesday morning from 9.30am.
Junior and Young Ranger sessions meet at the Bolckow Visitor Centre and cost 70p per person. Junior Rangers must be accompanied by an adult while Young Rangers under 15 must be dropped off and collected by an adult at the end of each session.
For more information contact Nicky Morgan on 01642 515643 or email Nicola_morgan@middlesbrough.gov.uk