Vast former industrial sites set to be one of UK’s largest urban nature reserves

• The Flashes of Wigan and Leigh set to grow to be one of the most important urban nature reserves with new declaration
• 738-hectare inexperienced beacon shut to main urban areas will present entry to nature for over 300,000 native folks
• Nationally vital habitat will assist shield uncommon willow tits, bitterns and water voles

A former industrial wasteland which is now a nationally vital web site for uncommon wildlife comparable to willow tit and bittern is set to grow to be one of England’s largest urban nature reserves.

The Flashes of Wigan and Leigh – a 738-hectare space of species-rich wetland, meadows and woodlands – will as we speak (3 October) be a part of England’s community of National Nature Reserves.

The designation, which can be the primary within the Greater Manchester space, recognises the unimaginable transformation of the Flashes over the past 100 years. Lakes shaped in consequence of mining subsidence turned residence to wildlife just like the ‘booming bittern’ as pure recolonisation and large-scale reclamation works healed the scars of trade.

The former industrial panorama is said not just for its significance in defending wildlife and pure capital however for its leisure worth to the neighborhood. It is hoped the positioning, which is residence to a spread of pursuits from fishing to biking, nature walks and birdwatching, will present new alternatives for sustainable tourism and visits from native residents and people additional afield.

The new protected reserve will create an oasis for nature, with Wigan additionally now recognised as one of the greenest urban boroughs within the United Kingdom. The mosaic of shallow open water and wetland habitats (swamp, reedbed, tall herb fen, moist marshy grassland and moist woodland) helps a wealthy range of birds and different species. This consists of over 52 pairs of willow tit, accounting for roughly 2% of England’s inhabitants, in addition to the heron-like bittern, water voles and nice crested newts.

Natural England Chief Executive, Marian Spain stated:

National Nature Reserves assist reconnect folks with our pure world, offering a lot wanted alternatives to discover our unimaginable panorama for our well being and wellbeing.

A wholesome pure surroundings and financial progress go hand in hand. By working collectively to construct robust partnerships comparable to these we see right here within the Flashes of Wigan and Leigh, we will present house for uncommon species and supply very important greenspace. That will make Wigan and Leigh nice locations to stay and nice locations to do enterprise in, so serving to to entice inward funding.

The distinctive wetlands in Wigan and Leigh have been cast by nature reclaiming former industrial land. Today’s designation demonstrates how it’s potential to reverse the decline in nature.

Nature underpins the British financial system with our pure capital estimated in 2019 to be value £1.2 trillion. The web site will profit over 300,000 individuals who stay regionally to the world, ensuring communities and younger folks have accessible out of doors house for well being, recreation, and wellbeing.

Working in partnership with communities has been key to realising this new National Nature Reserve. Declared by Natural England with Wigan Council, Lancashire Wildlife Trust and Forestry England, the NNR brings collectively a complete of 13 sites, together with Wigan Flashes, Amberswood, Three Sisters, and Bickershaw Country Park. It additionally consists of Viridor woodland, planted by Forestry England simply over 20 years in the past.

National Nature Reserves have been established to shield some of crucial habitats for weak species, and to present ‘outdoor laboratories’ for analysis.  They create very important alternatives for the general public, colleges, and specialist curiosity teams to expertise wildlife first-hand and to study extra about nature conservation .

This 12 months is the seventieth anniversary of the creation of England’s first nature reserve – highlighting a protracted historical past of restoring nature and serving to to carry inexperienced house and wildlife to everybody.

There at the moment are 220 National Nature Reserve sites, spanning a complete of greater than 103,000 hectares. These nature hotspots are key to efforts to restore nature throughout England, and can play a key position within the nation’s nature restoration community in step with the Government’s key goal to halt the decline in wildlife populations by 2030.