BBOWT

DAVID LITCHFIELD has received a lifetime achievement award from the Berkshire, uckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust.

He has spent 15 years volunteering at the trust’s Warburg Nature Reserve, near Henley.

As well as helping with practical conservation work, such as scything, and teaching other volunteers skills including tool maintenance, Mr Litchfield has also run ecological surveys on the site and passed on his wealth of knowledge to others.

Reserve warden Kelly Hedges said: “The knowledge and skills that you have brought to the team have been invaluable. From everyone here at Warburg, thank you very much.”

Mr Litchfield said: “I work outdoors for the good of the natural world and my personal mental and physical health.”

The Warburg Nature Reserve volunteer team received an outstanding contribution award for groups.

The team includes stock-watchers who help look after livestock that graze the reserve, two work parties which carry out practical habitat management and infrastructure maintenance and volunteers who make charcoal from by-products of coppicing.

The team also volunteers at Hartslock and Cholsey Marsh reserves when needed.

Pete Hughes