{content}

Volunteers play vital role in maintaining nature reserves across North Lincolnshire

Planning and Environment
09:30, Wednesday, 5th August 2020

In North Lincolnshire there are 17 local nature reserves across the county and the council is supported by a dedicated team of 20 volunteers to help maintain the 310 hectares of green space.

The volunteers help with a range of tasks including reed cutting, habitat management, general maintenance and repairs, clean-ups, butterfly projects, bird and bat projects, plus much more.

Over the summer months volunteers work across the nature reserves doing butterfly and dragonfly surveys. These are done annually to monitor the populations across the sites.

No matter what the weather, the volunteers are out on the nature reserves every week helping out.

Two of the volunteers have been helping for nearly 20 years and are now in their mid-80s. The couple said:

“We started volunteering in 2001 when I retired from British Steel and have enjoyed out weekly events ever since.

“We have covered a wide variety of tasks across ten or more nature reserves, which is what makes it enjoyable. Butterfly counting and tree/seed planting must be among our favourites and we even learned hedge-laying. Litter picking can be very satisfying too.

“We have made new friends over the years and have been able to enjoy their dogs too.”

In addition to the volunteers, there are also people who live nearby nature reserves and green spaces who carry out a range of tasks including opening and locking gates to prevent anti-social behaviour after hours.

To find out more about the local nature reserves in North Lincolnshire, visit the North Lincolnshire Council website.