NEW trees and hedges are to be planted at a nature reserve in the heart of town.

The Asker Meadows Nature Reserve project (ANRP) has been granted new trees and hedges for the area following a successful application to Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB.)

Volunteers are being sought to help with this special planting of trees on Saturday. They will be joined by representatives of the Bridport Area Tree Planting Campaign, pupils from Colfox School and members of ANRP.

The saplings are all native species from the Woodland Trust and the grant is from the Sustainable Development Fund, via the AONB. Further sponsorship has been pledged by the Woodman Inn. The 420 tree whips are hawthorn, crab apple, wild cherry, silver birch, rowan and hazel, which will provide even more biodiversity in the reserve. It follows the revised management plan for Askers Meadow and New Zealand which identified the areas for tree planting.

Brian Atkinson, ANRP secretary, said: “This increase in hedges and trees will be a real benefit to Asker Meadows - an area enjoyed by so many, both living in and visiting Bridport. We are hugely grateful for all of the support so far and would love local residents to make a difference to their environment by joining us to plant a tree. We would like to thank Bridport Town Council for its help and ongoing management of the areas.”

Volunteers are welcome to help plant trees at 1pm this Saturday, meeting by the new benches near Morrisons.

For more information on volunteering, contact Mike Bulgin by emailing bulgin@uwclub.net or join the group on Saturday wearing appropriate footwear, warm/waterproof clothing and something to kneel on.