A campaign to safeguard a declining butterfly population has reached new heights.

Essex Wildlife Trust, Maldon District Council and Butterfly Conservation have joined forces again, for phase two of their Buckthorn for Brimstone campaign.

Across the Maldon district in 2013, the partners planted hundreds of buckthorn shrubs, which is the Brimstone butterfly larvae’s sole food plant The shrubs were planted mainly on council and trust owned land, but now the campaign is being extended to encourage householders, landowners and gardeners in the district to plant buckthorn shrubs over the next couple of months.

Buckthorn plants are available for free to people in the Maldon district until February 28.

Mark Durham, chairman of the council’s Community Services Committee, said: “I am delighted that we are once again involved with this project and hope that we will continue to see the Brimstone butterfly thrive in parks, open spaces and gardens across the district.”

Buckthorn is a bushy, deciduous shrub, with attractive leaves in autumn and clusters of small flowers in spring, followed by berries.

Anyone interested in obtaining the free plants should email Emma Brogden, Living Landscapes Co-ordinator for Essex Wildlife Trust, at emmab@essexwt.org.uk