THE county's 'lost' parklands are being given a new lease of life thanks to a nature project that sees the trees for the wood.
And the older the trees the better for the Herefordshire Nature Trust team out on the ground.
The trust's trainee conservation officers have been given the latest phase of the Herefordshire Parklands Project, which aims to map and preserve all historic parkland across the county.
The trust says that 'veteran' trees are a main feature of the habitats and have a high value as havens for many species of lichen and fungi.
Bats and owls also utilise rot holes and hollow trunks as roosts and nesting sites.
"Sadly, through neglect, development or conversion many of Herefordshire's parklands have been lost," said Rachel Sharp, Herefordshire biodiversity partnership officer.
"It is becoming increasingly important to identify our most valuable sites of remaining parkland to prevent future decline," she said.
The main focus of this year's study will be the Black Mountains and the Wye Valley.
For more information contact The Parklands Project, Herefordshire Nature Trust, Lugwardine Court, Lugwardine, Hereford, HR1 4AE (telephone 01432 851910).
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