Get bird box checking in Fremington next week.

Get involved with a woodland management project.

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NATURE lovers are being invited to get involved with a woodland management project at a nature reserve in Fremington next week.

North Devon Council and the North Devon Area of Outstanding Beauty and Biosphere Service (NDABS) are holding a day of coppicing, nest box checking and bug-bench building on Tuesday.

The day will offer an opportunity to learn new skills and find out what you can do to protect and enhance local wildlife and the environment.

Coppicing is a traditional method of woodland management which involves cutting trees down to allow new shoots to grow. A bug bench is a traditional wooden bench with compartments filled with twigs, sticks and logs, which will become microhabitats for bugs.

The council’s executive member for culture, Councillor Derrick Spear, said: “The bug bench is a particularly good idea because it is multi-functional – a place for you to sit and enjoy the view, and a home for some of the many insects that are so important to the ecosystem of the woodland.”

Executive member for environment, Cllr Rodney Cann, said Fremington’s Local Nature Reserve was really starting to flourish.

He said: “A number of events are held throughout the year, designed to improve the natural habitat for wildlife and to get the local community involved in their environment. This should be a good day out for all the family.”

The event will run from 10am and those taking part are asked to meet at the Beechfield Road car park. They should wear sturdy shoes, suitable clothing and bring a packed lunch and drink.

For more information contact Tom Hynes (NDABS) on 01237 423655 or Andrew Moulton at North Devon Council on 01271 388326 or email parks@northdevon.gov.uk.