WORK to protect plants and wildlife at Kidderminster's much-loved Habberley Valley Nature Reserve continues this week.

A conservation project aimed at maintaining the ecological balance of the area started last week.

Wyre Forest District Council’s ranger team will be on hand to oversee the work, which involves improving the area around Pekkets Rock.

Last week, three trees were removed in order to help conserve the heathland and lichen-based wildlife.

Kidderminster Shuttle:

This Wednesday and Thursday, rangers will be tackling overgrown holly which has recently started to dominate and damage the woodland’s ecology.

Towards the end of February, they will be thinning out the woodland and building on previous conservation works to make sure there is ample light hitting the woodland floor, which is vital for the survival of the valley’s wildlife.

Wyre Forest District Council's cabinet member for culture, leisure and community protection, Councillor Helen Dyke said: “It’s vital that we continue to conserve our local nature reserves and rich diversity of plantlife and wildlife so local people can enjoy them for generations to come."

In May last year, the visitor centre at Habberley Valley reopened its doors to the public after 19 years, serving food and drink.