Rangers and volunteers are using harvested heather to help restore areas of Park Hall Country Park damaged by wildfires earlier this year.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s park rangers joined volunteers from Staffordshire Wildlife Trust to collect heather brush at Marshes Hill Common in Brown Edge.
The material was then spread across fire-damaged parts of the country park. It contains seeds that can establish new growth as the heathland recovers.
The council says the project forms part of its wider habitat restoration and rewilding work at the city’s only National Nature Reserve.
Councillor Amjid Wazir, cabinet member for city pride and enforcement, said: “This project is a positive step towards helping nature recover. By working with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and using heather from Marshes Hill, we’re giving the damaged heathland a helping hand to regenerate naturally.”
He thanked the ranger teams and Wildlife Trust volunteers for their work.
Andrew Love, reserves officer at Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, said: “Natural spaces like Park Hall are increasingly important for both wildlife and people. This restoration work will help strengthen a rare habitat, while ensuring visitors can continue to connect with nature close to where they live.”
Heathland supports specialist plants and wildlife, including insects, reptiles and ground-nesting birds. The restoration aims to support the long-term recovery of areas damaged by the fires.
The update and five photographs were supplied by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
