Kinver Edge rangers appeal to dog walkers

Rangers at a beauty spot have urged dog walkers to keep their pets on leads in designated areas to protect ground-nesting birds and other wildlife.

The National Trust has called for dogs to be on short leads in heathland at Kinver Edge, Staffordshire, during breeding season from March to July.

Willow warblers which had made an "epic" 8,000 km (4,970 miles) flight from Africa are among the birds there.

Other migratory ground-nesting birds at the site include chiffchaffs.

Lead ranger Ewan Chapman said: "If you think about a chiffchaff with its nest on the edge of a path - if it is repeatedly disturbed by a dog, all day every day, it's not sitting on those eggs and unfortunately those eggs are going to fail."

The National Trust said it had seen an increase in disturbances to wildlife as visitor numbers to the countryside had risen.

"We are a very busy site next to lots and lots of people and have very special wildlife here, but are very popular with visitors as well - so it is about striking that balance between both people and wildlife," Mr Chapman said.

He said places where dogs should be on leads and people should stick to footpaths represented a "small area of the property" and were indicated by signs.

Animals such as slow worms and grass snakes also inhabit the lowland heath and, as with many ground-nesting birds, they are in decline.

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