Pembrokeshire communities are being encouraged to get more involved in protecting and improving the environment for the benefit of future generations.
PLANED's 'Valuing the Environment' initiative is encouraging the formation of community environment groups throughout the county to give everyone the chance to take part in practical projects that will make a lasting impact.
The first of a series of workshops takes place at Stackpole on Saturday, February 1. 'Tools of the Trade - their Safety and Use' will show volunteers how to set to work with billhooks, scythes and saws. Budding environmentalists will also make nest boxes and learn about the needs of wildlife, including birds, bats, hedgehogs and bugs.
'Know Your Boundaries' at Brownslate Farm, Hundleton, on Saturday, February 22, will focus on hedge management, including laying, coppicing, cutting and planting.
Later workshops, in different parts of Pembrokeshire, will include 'Wetlands and Rivers', 'Community Composting', 'Life on the Foreshore' and 'Village Biodiversity'.
The workshops are part of 'Valuing the Environment - the Community Approach' in which communities are linked to trainers and other experts by PLANED (Pembrokeshire Local Action Network for Enterprise and Development).
PLANED environment officer Fiona Lanc said: "This initiative is helping communities play an informed and practical role in caring for and making the most of our unique environment for present and future generations.
"The aim is to encourage more people to get involved in sustainable projects of long-term benefit, working in a wide-ranging partnership of agencies and authorities. The role of local communities in conservation is also vital to the future of jobs in industries like farming, food processing and tourism."
'Valuing the Environment' is part of PLANED's 'Supporting Communities' project. This encourages local people to identify imaginative ways of working together for the long-term viability of their communities.
The initiative is funded by EU Objective One, Environment Wales, the Countryside Council for Wales and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority's Environment Development Fund. Partners include members of the Pembrokeshire Biodiversity Partnership.