A borough conservation group is looking for more people to join its ranks to continue improving wildlife habitats.

The Bolton Conservation Volunteers, which was set up in 1986, works with the council to improve wildlife spaces.

One of the areas the group is working at currently is Doffcocker Lodge, which was Bolton’s first nature reserve.

Director of the group, Rick Parker, said: “We are in the process of trying to build numbers up and just before Covid we were averaging about 24 members, but since then we have struggling to get back to that level.

The Bolton News: Bolton Conservation Volunteers

“We are working on a reed bed specialised area that helps the wildlife and was established it in Bolton 30 years ago at Doffcocker Lodge, and it needs maintaining.

“It supports a lot of nesting birds and other wildlife and also has a lot of starlings in it at night because it’s a long massive grass bed.”

The group is also looking after the footpath which is a 20 minute walk.

Rick said: “It is a lot of work when we do reed beds and we do work on other nature reserves as there are about 30 in conjunction with council.

“The footpath could do with some money spending on but there is no money.

“We try to work on the best sites for wildlife to protect the most.

“This just happens to be one of the best wildlife sites in Bolton and we are lucky that we have been able to work on it.”

The Bolton News: Bolton Conservation Volunteers

Swans are breeding at Doffcocker Lodge and volunteers are making efforts to protect their babies.

Rick added: “The swans were nesting right next to a footpath so they’d be disturbed by dogs so we put notices up for people to keep dogs on leads, and the swans ended up having babies.

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“This year I am hoping to build an artificial nest site away from footpath where they will be safe.”

The group want to encourage young people to join their ranks especially those completing their Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE) projects.

Rick said: “The younger generation are the future.

“The DofE children work hard as they’re doing it for the award, and they learn a lot of new skills and use it.

“Although we do our best a lot of schools do not know that we work with DofE children.”