Volunteer rangers needed to protect our countryside

Why not beat the January blues by getting fit and doing your bit for the local environment?

Bury Ranger Service is recruiting volunteers to help take care of Bury’s parks, countryside and green spaces.

People can either become a trained volunteer with the ranger service and carry out important conservation work and site patrols, or volunteer informally with local community gardening clubs and ‘Friends of’ groups. 

The service currently has 40 volunteers who help the council’s rangers on various conservation tasks and one-off projects across the borough.  Projects coming up soon include replanting a new hedge at Burrs Country Park, clearing out ponds at two local nature reserves, and building new paths and boardwalks at Starkies Wood.

Raffaelle Tuccillor, chairman of the Bury voluntary ranger service, said: “I find volunteering really interesting and rewarding. It helps to keep me active, fit and healthy in my retirement. It also gives me an opportunity to meet other like-minded people who enjoy working and walking in the countryside and 'doing their bit' for it. I've certainly improved my knowledge about the area I live in and its history and I'm learning new things all the time.”

Volunteering opportunities are open to anyone aged over 18 who would like to get involved in their local parks or countryside sites.

For more information, call senior ranger Carragh Teague on 0161 253 6923 or email buryrangerservice@bury.gov.uk

ENDS

Press release issued: 13 January 2014.

Picture attached: Raffaelle Tuccillor (back) carries out pond clearance work at Burrs Country Park with Stephen Battersby and Joe Edgar.