• Families can enjoy a range of Easter activities at Cannock Chase and Chasewater Country Park.

•Events include environmental games, creative crafts and the imaginative “Chase Creatures” experience for children aged 5–12.

• Visitors are encouraged to have fun while respecting the countryside by sticking to paths and protecting wildlife.

• Nine native cows have arrived at Moors Gorse to graze the land.

• Cattle grazing is a natural and sustainable way to help care for internationally important heathland.

• Visitors are being reminded to keep dogs on leads and clear up after them.

• Rangers have carried out important winter work on Cannock Chase, including thinning trees to protect veteran oaks and improve woodland health.

• Training programmes and volunteers supported the work, helping people gain skills while improving the landscape.

• Teams are aiming to replant 40 oak trees at Brocton Coppice by the end of the season.

• Country park visitors are being reminded to stick to paths and keep their dogs on leads to protect wildlife.

• Cannock Chase is one of the region’s most important strongholds for adders, which have declined sharply across the UK.

• Protecting rare species such as adders is a key part of the council’s refreshed Natural Environment Strategy.

• Cabinet will consider a new five-year Environmental Action Plan (2026–2030) next week.

• The plan sets out practical actions to tackle environmental challenges and support economic growth.

• Eight priorities include reducing waste, supporting access to affordable and reliable energy, strengthening resilience to flooding, and supporting biodiversity.

• County council is supporting a new initiative to recycle food waste separately each week.

• The food waste will be used for renewable energy and fertiliser.

• Residents are automatically signed up and will be provided a small kitchen caddy, a larger outdoor caddy, and a starter roll of liners.

• Residents can now enter a competition to design a Staffy statue for a major new public art trail.

• A copy of Staffy's outline can be downloaded online or collected from any Staffordshire library.

• Up to three winners will be picked, whose designs will be brought to life by professional local artists.

• Planning application for waste treatment facility near Stafford set for appeal hearing in April

• County council committee rejected the plans for Hixon Industrial Estate

• Parish council and residents opposed to plans

• Updated Natural Environment Strategy sets out how the county council will protect and enhance nature across Staffordshire.

• New actions include targeted species recovery, wildlife friendly verge management, natural flood solutions, hedgerow restoration and installing features like bat boxes on new council developments.

• Biodiversity Report shows strong progress since 2024, including habitat restoration, targeted action for species, reduced peat and pesticide use, pollinator planting and growing community involvement.