STUDENTS have been helping the conservation charity Marwell Wildlife, to restore its ancient woodland habitat to create a nature reserve.

The group from The University of Winchester were helping to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Student Volunteering Week.

The students helped to cut invasive plant species and prepare the ground for the planting of native plants and trees.

The first year of Marwell’s restoration project is being supported by The Veolia Environmental Trust, which awarded a grant of £14,708 through the Landfill Communities Fund.

The students’ hard work will help improve the biological diversity of the habitat, which will in turn attract a wide range of native woodland wildlife to the area.

The team at Marwell hope that many native mammals, including the nationally rare yellow-necked mouse, will set up home in the nature reserve near Winchester.

They are also hoping to encourage an increase in the willow tit and nightingale numbers along with other birds of conservation concern, including the cuckoo, marsh tit and song thrush.

The 30 hectares of ancient woodland has become overgrown with invasive species such as rhododendron in recent years.

The University of Winchester volunteering co-ordinators Nina Lazarski and Charlie MacKay joined the students in the woodland.

Ms Lazarski said: “The University of Winchester students have been so enthusiastic about getting involved with our volunteering programme, and in particular coming here and getting stuck in with this important woodland development. Today has been a great success.”

Dr Guy Parker, Marwell’s head of biodiversity management, said: “The removal of invasive species, along with our other traditional management practices, such as coppicing and re-establishing woodland rides, will improve the habitat’s structural diversity and thus increase the variety of flora and fauna.”

n For more information about volunteering at Marwell, go to narwell.org.uk