City dwellers are being asked to take a ride out into the countryside to help conserve nature reserves throughout Warwickshire.

Warwickshire Wildlife Trust' is putting together a group called Natureforce, which will be starting a pick-up in Coventry.

Volunteers will be collected from Coventry and taken to the trust’s nature reserves in the city, Solihull and Warwickshire.

These tasks will give volunteers the chance to experience traditional management of habitats at first hand. There will be full training in practical reserve maintenance.

The pick-ups will be every Wednesday, for the group's mid-week volunteer tasks, starting on Wednesday 29 November with a work party at Rough Hill Wood Nature Reserve near Studley.

This will involve woodland management, with tasks including coppicing, heath maintenance and improving access to the reserve.

Transportation to the reserve is from Hillfields Village Square, King William Street, Hillfields, between 9.15 and 9.30am.

The minibus will return for around 4pm. Volunteers should bring with them a packed lunch, suitable waterproof clothing and sturdy footwear.

Natureforce activities will run in mid-week until 14 March 2001.

Sophie Lloyd of the Reserves Team said:

"These tasks are an ideal opportunity for people who are interested in protecting the environment and in particular conserving habitats in their own area".

Hillfields Community Project Officer, Jenny Sansom added:

"This scheme gives city-dwellers the chance to get out and enjoy the countryside, experiencing nature and learning valuable skills for free."

For further information on the Trust's future tasks in the region, or to book a place in advance, volunteers should contact Sophie Lloyd, Reserves Team Manager on 024 7630 8979, or Hillfields Community Project Officer, Jenny Sansom, who also runs tasks in Hillfields, through the Patchwork Project, on 024 7683 7055.