Work is underway to help restore fire-damaged heathland at a Stoke-on-Trent country park following "devastating" wildfires earlier this year.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council park rangers worked alongside Staffordshire Wildlife Trust volunteers to harvest heather brush, to help restore heathland at Park Hall Country Park, the city's only National Nature Reserve.

The team recently travelled to Marshes Hill Common in Brown Edge to harvest the heather brush, which was then spread across fire-damaged areas of the country park.

The city council said fires earlier this year left areas of heathland "badly damaged".

The heather brush contains seeds that can establish new growth to help restore the vegetation which was damaged or destroyed by the fires.

Councillor Amjid Wazir OBE, cabinet member for city pride and enforcement at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: "Park Hall Country Park is a fantastic natural asset for our city, and the wildfires – that were started on purpose - have had a devastating impact on parts of its landscape.

"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."

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Stoke-on-Trent City Council Park Rangers worked with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust volunteers (image via Stoke-on-Trent City Council)

He added: "Heathland is a precious and increasingly rare habitat, so it's vital that we do what we can to protect it, restore areas that have been damaged and create the right conditions for wildlife to flourish again.

"I'd like to thank our ranger teams and Staffordshire Wildlife Trust volunteers for giving up their time to support this important work."

Heathland is a rare and valuable habitat in the UK, with around 85 per cent lost over the past 150 years.

The habitat supports a variety of specialist plants and wildlife, including insects, reptiles and ground-nesting birds.

The work forms part of the council's wider rewilding and habitat restoration programme, aimed at helping the country park recover and ensuring its wildlife can thrive for years to come.

Andrew Love, reserves officer at Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, added: "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."

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