The Ashmolean Natural History Society is joining forces with voluntary groups to present a forum on preserving the county's wildlife and habitat.

The Oxfordshire Nature Conservation Forum will stage Wildlife on our Doorstep at Oxford Town Hall, on March 16, with the support of Oxford City Council's countryside service.

A major attraction will be the chance to talk to experts about wildlife, and to volunteers, who are actively involved in trying to save a number of wildlife species.

School displays will be on show in the town hall's assembly rooms, with other displays, stalls, and children's activities taking place in the main hall.

A series of talks will be given in the old library on subjects including: Red Kites in the Chilterns.

Other areas to be covered include:

Friends of the Trap Grounds, a community group in north Oxford which surveys and protects a rare canalside reedbed and adjoining wildlife site

Northmoor Trust, owners of the Wittenham Clumps in south Oxfordshire, which runs schools programmes, and conservation courses.

Oxford Urban Wildlife Group, which converted an east Oxford allotment into the award-winning nature reserve, Boundary Brook Park, where volunteers run school visits, walks, talks, and offer training.

Manager of the countryside service, Oliver de Soissions, said: "The event will be a showcase of people's work for wildlife. We hope it will recruit many more much-needed volunteers."