Volunteers have been out in force on the Malvern Hills despite this autumn’s wet weather.
Our conservation volunteers have been hard at work helping to care for the Hills and Commons. Through rain and shine the volunteers work alongside MHT staff and contractors in the continued effort to maintain and restore this iconic landscape.
Our work is guided by the Land Management Plan and our shared vision for the Hills. This vision sees a good balance between differing land uses and various habitats that is right for the future.
We work with partners, such as Natural England and Butterfly Conservation, to help improve the condition of and care for our most important features.
Many of the practical works we undertake on the Hills and Commons happen in winter – this avoids the busiest time of year for visitors and for nesting birds and other wildlife.
This winter, our work will include:
- Continued removal of invasive Laurel from our woodlands.
- Restoration of open habitats (acid grassland, heath and mire) where scrub and secondary trees have taken over to the detriment of local wildlife.
- Planting native trees and excluding livestock from ancient woodland.
This work will support biodiversity at a time when the State of Nature Report highlighted so many losses of wildlife in the UK. Priority species that will benefit from the restoration of open habitats includes the common lizard, tree pipit and the grayling butterfly.
From beside the River Severn to the hilltops the terrain of the Malvern Hills can prove challenging so a mix of different methods and tools are used to conserve habitats. These range from volunteers with hand tools to large machines and equipment that can undertake large areas of restoration.
Together, the important features and special qualities of this landscape will be cared for both now and in the future.
