A STUDY which will see whether controversial work aimed at securing the future of a rare butterfly in Wyre Forest has been successful is to be carried out.

The pearl-bordered fritillary was at the centre of a row between English Nature and retired forest warden John Robinson, who insisted work to widen rides in the forest was destroying long-nurtured vegetation and could spark the loss of rare dormice.

English Nature officials have maintained the work was essential for proper wildlife management and to ensure the pearl-bordered fritillary, one of Britain's rarest butterflies, could flourish.

Now charity Butterfly Conservation plans to spend three days checking the size and number of the butterfly's colonies across 800 hectares.

It will be the largest survey of its kind carried out in the forest and will see 10 volunteers undertaking additional research.

Forestry Commission foresters have been conducting butterfly habitat improvement projects for more than a decade, said wildlife ranger Phil Rudlin.

Some experts predict the pearl-bordered fritillary will be extinct elsewhere in the country by 2015,but the Wyre Forest is the West Midlands stronghold for the butterfly and has 31 out of 58 other species.

More information is available on www.for

estry.gov.uk.