RSPCA wants nature lovers to embrace the call of autumn and sign up to be a Wildlife Friend.

The charity is calling on people to don their boots and gardening gloves and have a go at tasks that will help change the lives of animals for the better.

There are 24 self-service tasks for volunteers to complete this year, with different tasks set for each of the four seasons. Points are earned when completing tasks and volunteers who earn a set number or more during a season are awarded a seasonal certificate.

Some of the tasks include:

• Cleaning bird feeders
• Creating mini compost heaps
• Cleaning out nest boxes 
• Discarding pumpkin leftovers
• Taking part in Hallowclean
• Helping hedgehogs get ready for hibernation
• Keeping wildlife safe from bonfires

Plant Based News reports Forestry England has warned people against disposing of Halloween pumpkins by leaving them in the woods for wildlife.

When October 31 rolls around, social media users often encourage people to leave out leftover pumpkins for animals to eat. But doing so can make some animals, including hedgehogs, unwell.

Pumpkins are not naturally found in British woodlands and are not a normal part of the diet of native animals.

iNews reports how dead branches and twigs can be a surprisingly useful resource for a range of garden animals, from insects and other invertebrates to small mammals and birds.

They can be turned into simple log piles, obelisks made from long branches or even an ambitious “dead hedge”.

Now is a good time to begin any such projects because autumn and winter are the right months for pruning many trees and shrubs. It is easier to see what needs to be removed once their branches are bare.

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The Guardian reports a leading insect expert has called for a UK-wide ban on the use of pesticides in gardens and urban areas to protect bees, wildlife and human health. Dave Goulson, a professor of biology at the University of Sussex, said outlawing chemical spraying (…) could slow insect decline by creating a network of nature-friendly habitats where insects can recover.

The Guardian reports the Royal Horticultural Society has just awarded a gold medal to a garden full of ragwort and other weeds – and there are some clear benefits to letting nature take its course.