A wildlife trust has partnered up with Watford Borough Council for a three year environmental project in two of the town's most popular green spaces.

Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust says the partnership will create a "wilder" future for Cassiobury Park Local Nature Reserve and Whippendell Woods.

Both sites are important havens for wildlife; for example the nature reserve includes 62 acres of marshland and open pools, surrounded by wet woodland of alder and willow trees, and has the River Gade chalk stream running through it.

Watford Observer: Whippendell Wood. Credit: Watford Borough Council Whippendell Wood. Credit: Watford Borough Council

Whippendell Wood is 165 acres of ancient woodland on the edge of Watford and believed to be more than 400 years old. It is designated as a site of special scientific interest due to its variety of woodland habitats.

Watford Observer: Watford mayor Peter Taylor at Cassiobury Nature ReserveWatford mayor Peter Taylor at Cassiobury Nature Reserve (Image: Watford Borough Council)

Watford's mayor Peter Taylor says the project aims to bring the wild spaces back to its "former glory" and says the community can help play a role through a variety of programmes.

This will include a new series of volunteering opportunities giving the public a chance to get hands-on with the wildlife on their doorstep.

Anna Daniels, from Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, added: "We are so pleased to be working with Watford Borough Council to empower the local community to take action to protect the wonderful wild places on their doorstep.

"Wildlife in the UK is under constant pressure from habitat loss and climate change so this is a brilliant example of being able to work towards protecting the magnificent wildlife that we have in our area."

Watford Observer: Cassiobury Park wetlandsCassiobury Park wetlands (Image: Watford Borough Council)

Over the summer, the council worked on a project to restore the wetlands at Cassiobury Park while there are also plans to create wildflower meadows in the park in the spring.

To find out more about the council's new partnership with the wildlife trust, click here.