Volunteers are being invited to help with the conservation of Tippings Wood Local Nature Reserve between Blidworth and Rainworth, with a task day this week.

People can meet in the car park off Warsop Lane, Blidworth, for the task day which is taking place on Thursday, July 24, from 10am to 3pm (or whatever time can be spared).

Tippings Wood is just one of the green spaces managed by Nottinghamshire County Council and there is a conservation activity at Manton Pit Wood and a bat walk in Shireoaks later this month.

Much of the weekly management of Tippings Wood is undertaken by the volunteers, however, in recent times numbers of volunteers have declined due to ill health and the Friends are hoping to attract new members from local people with an interest in Tippings Wood as a recreational area as well as a haven for wildlife.

Tippings Wood Local Nature Reserve is located on one of the spoil heaps of the former Blidworth Colliery. When the colliery closed in 1989 restoration of the land began including the planting thousands of trees. Tippings Wood includes a number of important habitats. The largest of these is broadleaved woodland, which contains a variety of species, but mainly oak and birch.

Alongside the woodland there is a wetland area consisting of open water and marshland and there are a number of grassland areas. These habitats are home to many different species. The wetland provides a home for many plants including Reed mace and attracts damselflies and dragonflies.

The Bee Orchid, a flower typical of post-industrial sites, and Painted Lady butterflies, are among the other species to be seen during the summer months. As these habitats have developed and matured over the last fifteen years careful management has been required to ensure we balance the needs of visitors and wildlife.

Nottinghamshire County Council carries out routine maintenance with contractors to carry out specialised tasks, using power tools and machinery. One recent project involving drainage works improved conditions on Tippings Wood and nearby Blidworth Miners Welfare football field.

The Leen Conservation Volunteers also visit once a month to carry out woodland management.

Practical work can be anything from tree removal and fencing repairs to strimming verges to keep footpaths open and litter picking. Training will be given by the county council.

Anyone who can help by being a member of the Friends group and/or volunteering on site please contact Mark Guy, 01623 822944 ext 2242 or on the task day, Lee Scudder on 07753 850758.