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Willow came face to face with Henry the hedgehog today.

He was of the rather more fluffy genus than the usual kind but was being used as a distraction technique so that mummy could speak to the man from the RSPB.

He was keen to tell me about the charity’s aim to buy more land to further its dedication to conservation.

One area they have recently started working on, along with the support of other partners, is Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire – one of the minis favourite places to visit for a day out.

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As I soon came to realise Willow’s godmummy needed help in preventing her running off with Henry into a neighbouring shop, I decided to wait until getting home to look up some more information about the work taking place there.  As they write on their website:

“The RSPB and its partners are looking forward to opening a new reserve and visitor centre at Sherwood Forest, famously home to the legendary outlaw Robin Hood and one of the most well-known forests in the world.

“We’re leading a group featuring the Sherwood Forest Trust, Continuum Attractions and Thoresby Estate as part of a £5.3 million investment programme to provide an excellent visitor experience and preserve the forest for generations to come.

“Around 350,000 people visit the world-famous Sherwood Forest country park each year. Much of the surviving ancient woodland was originally part of a royal hunting forest. The brand-new centre will provide superb facilities and inspire visitors to enjoy and celebrate Sherwood’s woodland, wildlife and heritage.

“Lesser spotted woodpeckers, marsh tits and redstarts live in the woodlands, with nightjars and woodlarks making their home on adjacent heathland.

“Sadly, since Robin Hood’s time Sherwood’s woodlands have shrunk and become separated, while the heathland has decreased by 95 per cent over the past 150 years. Working with our partners, the RSPB will identify ways of creating new habitat in the best locations – making the existing areas bigger and better joined up.”

The new reserve and visitor centre is due to open in 2018 and you can follow new of their progress – as well as being treated to some lovely photos – on their Twitter feed @RSPBSherwood.

In other wild news: Today is also World Oceans Day – find out more here: www.worldoceansday.org

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