Chester Zoo conservationists to nurture area's countryside

Harvest mice are one of the many UK native species that Chester Zoo hopes to help thrive

A 10-mile stretch of Cheshire's countryside is to be restored by Chester Zoo conservationists.

Wetlands, orchards, grasslands and wildflower meadows will be nurtured in the planned "nature recovery corridor" ranging from Chester to Ellesmere Port.

A £990,500 grant from the government's green recovery fund will fund the first phase from the zoo's nature reserve through Chester city centre to Lache.

It will create more environmental jobs and protect wildlife, the zoo said.

Ninety nature projects on over 600 sites across England have been awarded grants to create and retain jobs as part of the government's £80m green recovery challenge fund.

One in five of the UK's wildflowers are threatened with extinction

The zoo said by collaborating with partners across the region it would restore a network of wildlife-rich habitat and contribute to the recovery of severely declining species.

It said the project will be "inclusive, hands-on and will provide access to nature for some of the most deprived areas in Cheshire West and Chester", with a youth traineeships and a community volunteer programme.

A red fox captured on camera at Chester Zoo Nature Reserve

Chester Zoo's science director Simon Dowell said: "The project will empower people to create safe spaces for UK wildlife and nurture a new generation of conservationists through funded traineeships.

"As the world faces a biodiversity crisis, the role of large charity zoos like ours in securing a future for wildlife on our planet is ever more vital."