PLANS to protect wildlife in Chester-le-Street will be unveiled today.

The project, called From Parks to Larks, aims to change the way grounds workers maintain council-owned open spaces, to try to conserve dwindling animal and plant habitats.

Council leader Linda Ebbatson will launch the scheme at a conference at the Riverside cricket ground, in Chester-le-Street.

The event has been organised to mark the fifth anniversary of the Durham Biodiversity Action Plan (Bap).

Run by the Durham Wildlife Trust in partnership with local authorities in County Durham and Tyne and Wear, the plan aims to conserve and enhance species and habitats throughout the North-East.

Keith Bowey, action plan officer, said: "In the five years since the plan was published, we believe that the Durham Bap has established a very strong credibility for the biodiversity process in the North-East.

"We would like to think that this event will act as a springboard, from which we will be able to secure even greater, large scale benefits for our threatened wildlife over the next five years."

The event will review progress made by the partnership since it was formed in 1999.

Keith Bartlett, regional manager of the heritage lottery fund, will also officially launch a key element called From Coals to Voles, a plan to help the water vole return in numbers to parts of County Durham and Wearside.