Young people living in and around the Churnet Valley are being offered the chance to take part in a range of activities that help to conserve and improve the wildlife and landscape of the area. The brand new Churnet Valley Youth Rangers will kick off on Friday (27th September) by helping with some meadow restoration near Ipstones. Activities will then take place every Friday and on some weekends undertaking tasks such as woodland management, coppicing, tree planting, pond creation and rhododendron removal.
The Youth Rangers group is open to any young person aged between 16 and 21 and would be perfect for people interested in a career in nature conservation, for those that enjoy the outdoors or just for those that want to try something different. The Trust's Youth Officer Martin Evans explains: "This is a great way for young people to gain valuable experience they can add to their CVs, whether they want to go into the field of wildlife conservation or not. We have a lot of fun doing these activities and young people get to make friends, learn new skills and do something to improve their communities. For those that are interested we can even offer them a Level 2 qualification in Environmental Conservation."
The group will meet in Leek before being transported to the activity sites. All the tools and training will be provided and young people don't need any previous experience to take part.
Any young person interested should contact Martin Evans on 07530 489798 or email m.evans@staffs-wildlife.org.uk.