This joint project between Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and Tamworth Borough Council aims to improve Tamworth's wild spaces. It is jointly funded by Tamworth Borough Council and Staffordshire Environmental Fund.

Through the project, sites are designated as Local Nature Reserves and local community conservation groups are set up to manage the sites.

Hodge Lane, Amington, was the only existing Local Nature Reserve in Tamworth prior to the "Wild about Tamworth" project. Local volunteers now carry out a day's work a month. 

Kettlebrook -, which stretches from Glascote to Wilnecote - and runs through Belgrave, is now a Local Nature Reserve. 

The Friends of Stoneydelph Lakes have begun holding monthly tasks to involve more members of the community. 

The Friends of Warwickshire Moor, Bolehall, sees local residents meeting on the first Saturday and third Sunday of every month. Following large scale wetland habitat work, a series of ditches and pools have been created.

Tameside Wildlife Conservation Group was set up  to manage Tameside Nature Reserve in Fazeley. This group meets on the second Sunday of every month to carry out work such as island management, otter holt construction and bench building. Future plans for the site include a large-scale wetland improvements project. The plans are to re-profile the banks of the river, link the lake and the river and create a series of small pools and scrapes which will increase the biodiversity and amenity value of the site. 

Dosthill Park Wildlife Group meets on the first Sunday of each month. The group has been working closely with the local primary school to develop an education pack to enable groups to use the site to support their curriculum and SATs work. 

The Town Wall Conservation group carries out practical conservation tasks on the site on the second Sunday of the month. The group are keen to improve  access and to reinstate some of the original features, including a wildflower meadow and a pond. 

The project also gives local schools and other groups the opportunity to go on educational visits to a Local Nature Reserve near them. Schools can arrange days with the Project Officers, who will take classes to the reserve and carry out environmental activities. These can include mini-beast hunts, bird watching and exploring the environment using different senses.

Lindsey Bates, "Wild About Tamworth" Project Officer, is based at the Tamworth Borough Council Locality Office in Amington.

If you would like a programme of conservation tasks, guided walks, talks and events in Tamworth, or further information about any aspects of the project, please click on the links on the right of this page or telephone Lindsey on 01827 59912 or 07970 067711

E-mail l.bates@staffs-wildlife.org.uk.