VOLUNTEERS are being urged to come forward to take part in a series of events aimed at documenting Dorset’s hedgerows.
As part of the sixth Annual Make a Difference Week, run by the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER), seven events will take place in the county between May 30 and June 7.
The Great Big Dorset Hedge (GBDH) Project is calling on volunteers to contribute to restoration work by surveying hedgerows, and helping to map the surveys and the data gathered.
“Hedgerows are the unsung heroes of nature conservation in Britain,” said John Calder, GBDH project manager.
“They create vital habitat connections for multiple species by linking ecosystems, including between rural and urban areas.
“Our vision is to connect biodiversity across Dorset through our communities working together to plant hedges and trees. That’s why we are so excited to take part in Make a Difference Week.
“While we are focused on restoring our local environment, the global scale of the event reminds us that, around the world, thousands of others are also working to regenerate nature, for the benefit of their own communities.”
Boris Barov, chief operating officer of SER Europe, went on: “The challenge posed by the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) has raised the bar for restoration on the continent, and with it the need for increased knowledge and capacity to plan and implement projects.
“Vitally, successful implementation of the NRR will also need the support of all those affected by the loss of biodiversity, degradation of our lands and waters, and the impacts of climate change. This means each and every one of us. Which is why we are seeing accelerating momentum for initiatives like Make a Difference Week and the Natura 2000 BioBlitz, which will take place across Europe in the week prior.
“We work to protect what we value, and these events offer us all the chance to roll up our sleeves, get our hands dirty, and connect with nature, right on our doorstep.”
For more details on the campaign, and to find events near you, visit https://makeadifferenceweek.org/find-an-event.
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