Conservation work to protect endangered heathland in Lichfield is due to start soon.
Muckley Corner Common and Pipehill Crossroads Common will see contractors conducting the work with Lichfield District Council’s ecology team.
Birch specimens and gorse will be thinned out to stop scrub encroachment that threatens to invade and reduce the rare heathland habitat and the wildlife that relies on it.
When complete, council chiefs say the sites will become more open, with improved visibility and access.
Cllr Angela Lax, cabinet member for regulatory, housing and health, said:
“We’d like to thank visitors to Muckley Corner and Pipehill Crossroads for bearing with us throughout these vital works.
“Only around 10% of the ancient heathland once found in Staffordshire still exists today, so it’s really important we continue our programme to conserve these precious areas.
“We hope it will encourage rare species to return to the district’s heaths in the future, including heathland birds such as the woodlark and nightjar, plus other protected species.”
Cllr Angela Lax, Lichfield District Council
The works forms part of a £400,000 25-year biodiversity offset scheme aiming to restore and manage 9.1 hectares of heathland over the two sites and Ironstone Road Heaths in Burntwood.
