THE countryside team at the district council has become a major partner in the Government s new environmental volunteering campaign - Muck In4Life.

THE countryside team at the district council has become a major partner in the Government's new environmental volunteering campaign - Muck In4Life.

The campaign aims to get families into the fresh air and help the world around them.

And as a first step to make this happen they have set up the East Devon Wildlife Conservation Volunteer network.

Volunteers will be asked to help look after wildlife, landscapes and other green spaces to enhance the natural environment.

Volunteers are already at the heart of many of the district council's local nature reserves helping to manage habitats, looking after wildlife, planting trees, scrub bashing and creating new paths.

Muck In4Life could mean doing anything from building a bird box, clearing out a pond, counting bats and birds or laying a hedge.

Councillor Graham Brown, EDDC's portfolio holder for the environment, said : "Volunteers are the life blood of so much of what we do in this authority. Without them we simply couldn't carry out as much of the vital conservation work we do on our Nature Reserves throughout the year.

"Having the Government also encouraging people to volunteer to give wildlife and nature a helping hand can only be a good thing.