News
Project update: Integrated Wetland Network launch new ecological network tool
Read moreNatural England announce the completion of a new ecological network tool for wetlands and woodlands in Northwest England It can provide an evidence base for prioritising off-site Biodiversity Net Gain opportunities, and contribute to the evidence base for the development of Local Nature Recovery Strategies in the Greater Manchester pilot…
Project Update: Bringing the River Irk to Life (BRIL)
Read moreNew online tool launched to record issues and opportunities for improvement for the Irk Catchment Data will be considered as part of the Irk Action Plan BRIL is an ambitious Natural Course project that aims to transform the Irk into a vibrant river corridor, bringing nature and people together in…
Blog: Working collaboratively is key to the success of Natural Course
Read moreNatural Course is a collaboration made up of the Environment Agency, Natural England, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, the Rivers Trust and United Utilities. The project has brought these organisations together to design projects to better understand and overcome some of the biggest barriers to implementation of the North West River…
Building upon the Natural Capital approach in Greater Manchester
Read moreBackground: A core theme of Natural Course is using a Natural Capital approach to generate new and greater resources for natural environment projects. In Phase 2 of the Natural Course project, accounts of the Irwell Catchment’s existing Natural Capital and a series of Ecosystem Services Opportunity tools were created. These…
Fish can swim freely in another section of the Croal catchment thanks to weir removal
Read moreA joint project to open up the River Croal catchment to migratory fish has been completed. The removal of a disused failing weir on the River Tonge will help combat long-term declines in fish stocks and boost other wildlife. Partnership project between the Environment Agency, Groundwork, Greater Manchester Combined Authority,…
Project update: Innovative funding for Wyre natural flood management interventions
Read moreVirtual launch of Wyre Natural Flood Management Investment Readiness project attended by Environment Agency Chair Partnership project to enhance the local environment and protect against flood risk Background Natural flood management interventions can give multiple benefits to the environment, however funding is often limited in this area. New and innovative…
“Flood busting” leaky dams installed on Crompton Moor in Oldham
Read moreNew natural ‘leaky dams’ have been constructed on Crompton Moor, Oldham The dams are designed to slow the flow of water before it reaches towns and villages further downstream of the River Beal, including Shaw and Crompton The latest part of a project which uses natural methods to reduce flood…
New natural environment campaign announced for Greater Manchester
Read more14th September 2020 marks the launch of a brand new environmental campaign for Greater Manchester. It aims to raise awareness of the work being delivered around the natural environment, and inspire residents, businesses and policy makers across the region to work together to improve it. The campaign, which is part…
Natural capital accounts and ecosystem services opportunity mapping tool survey
Read moreFollowing on from the publication of a series of Greater Manchester natural capital accounts and ecosystem services opportunity mapping tools we would like to gain a better understanding of how they are being been used in decision making processes. This includes identifying examples of how they’ve been used and any…
Project update: Integrated Ecological Network Tool
Read moreOur Natural Course partner Natural England have provided us a quick update on how things are progressing with the development of the Integrated Ecological Network Tool, which aims to highlight habitat restoration and creation opportunities in Cheshire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Lancashire. Background Historic habitat loss and degradation means that…