Volunteers have taken part in an important ecological restoration project in a Lake District forest.
Forestry England and the University of Leeds is working to return 630 hectares of former conifer plantation in Hardknott Forest to a thriving, biodiverse habitat.
One of the project’s most innovative approaches involves conservation pigs, which help break up compacted soil and reduce invasive species, allowing native flora to re-establish.
On Sunday, volunteers, including members from the national outdoor charity OutdoorLads, planted 200 hazel, 25 blackthorn, 50 hawthorn, and 50 water avens.
Volunteer leader Bryan Cosgrove, who helped co-ordinate the planting efforts, said: “It was incredibly rewarding to be part of such an important project in the heart of Cumbria.
“Seeing so many volunteers come together to help restore this landscape was fantastic. The conservation pigs were an unexpected but brilliant part of the process – they play a key role in preparing the ground for rewilding by naturally clearing invasive plants.”
The Restoring Hardknott Forest Project welcomes volunteers throughout the year.
For more information, visit bag.leeds.ac.uk/projects/restoring-hardknott-forest/get-involved/.
