AUTHORITIES have relaunched a campaign to protect wildflowers and wildlife on the county's roadsides and discourage littering.

Dorset Council and Litter Free Dorset will once again be encouraging residents and visitors to celebrate Dorset’s roadside verges with its ‘Love Your Verge’ campaign.

Love Your Verge is a county-wide campaign which aims to raise awareness about the council’s work to increase and maintain biodiversity in verges, as part of the response to the Climate and Ecological Emergency.

The Wildlife Trust already recognise a number of verges in Dorset as Sites of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI), a designation which is given to sites that have substantive nature conservation and geological value.

To help discourage littering, the campaign will include colourful signage installed around the county.

Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council Portfolio Holder Highways, Travel and Environment, said: “The loss of natural habitats is a major threat for pollinators, which are essential for helping plants and crops to grow. We’re proud of the work Dorset’s Coast and Greenspace Service do each year, which is helping to transform our verges and restore some of these vital habitats.

“By raising awareness about the important work to encourage and protect the plants and wildlife in our verges, we hope more people will do their bit by choosing to take their litter home and disposing of it responsibly.”