A HERTFORDSHIRE birdwatcher is about to embark on a two-month mission to help raise funds to save a vital wildlife wood.

Barry Reed will be visiting many of the 43 nature reserves managed by theSt Albans-based Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust (HMWT), aiming to spot at least 100 different species of bird, and hoping people willsponsor his challenge for the trust’s campaign to buy Ball’s Wood near Hertford, home to a wide range of wildlife including badgers, butterflies and birds as well as beautiful trees and woodland rides.

The wood is currently owned by the Forestry Commission, and the trust hopes to raise £150,000 locally to unlock the additional funding it needs to buy the site by the end of March.

Barry said “Having been a regular visitor to Ball's Wood for over 35 years it will be a privilege to participate in this challenge to help secure its future. Visiting other HMWT nature reserves in the process will be an added bonus. I hope as many of my fellow birdwatchers as possible will support my efforts - after all, without nature reserves like Balls Wood, there would be far fewer places for us to enjoy watching fantastic wildlife.”

To provide a final push to fund-raising before the deadline, the trust is organising a week of activities and events across it reserves under the banner Wake up the Wood from March 16 to 22, encouraging people to enjoy early spring in nature reserves and other wild places.

Donations can be made on the trust's website.