News
Hayley Tamaddon calls for North West residents to Plug Their Plastic Use
Before stepping onstage in the upcoming UK tour of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, actress and performer, Hayley Tamaddon, is putting her teaching skills to use offstage and calling for people in the North West to plug their plastic use A staggering 80% of the plastic in the ocean comes from…
Project update – using Local Nature Recovery Strategies to deliver Water Framework Directive
Case study developed in the lower River Bollin and Sinderland Brook catchment now online. This project took a holistic and place-based approach to look at potential interventions that deliver multiple benefits, integrating water quality and quantity improvements into habitat quality and connectivity. It developed guidance on how to use Local…
The Natural Course Grand Finale!
After eight and a half incredible years, Natural Course is reaching its conclusion. To celebrate the occasion, we invited friends and colleagues to join us at our Grand Finale as we looked back on our highlights, achievements and what we learned along the way over four phases of work consisting…
Project update – Resilient Glenderamackin
The Resilient Glenderamackin project is developing a model to link investors, buyers and sellers (farmers and land managers) of ecosystem services to reduce downstream flood risk, restore nature, improve water quality and mitigate against climate change in the Glenderamackin catchment in the Lake District. If successful, it will leverage around…
The Ripple Effect: Integrated decision-making and sustainable finance to deliver improvements to our water environment at scale
Natural Course is hosting ‘The Ripple Effect’ conference on 30 – 31 January 2024 at the Clayton Hotel in Manchester. Hear from people working to improve the water environment and explore the future direction and ambition that will ensure the health and resilience of rivers for the future. This two…
Bohemian Knotweed in the Tame Catchment
Over the summer of 2023, a riverside survey of invasive species of plant was commissioned by Greater Manchester Combined Authority as part of Natural Course. The survey is a detailed snapshot of the invasive non-native species (INNS) issues on the River Tame catchment and how issues may arise downstream on…
Blog: Supporting Catchment Partnerships
Natural Course has been delivering a series of projects to support Catchment Partnerships in the North West. The 11 partnership hosts in the region have been coming together to learn about how to engage with businesses and develop investible projects, develop their presentation and facilitation skills, and meet as a…
Envisioning Landscape Scale Change: Cheshire Hub Host Weaver-Gowy Workshop
Climate change, poor water quality, flooding, drought, pollution and habitat loss are all environmental issues we are facing. For positive change, we need to start looking at how we can work together and go above and beyond the statutory requirements of our organisations to develop a holistic view of landscape…
Citizen Science: Results from new otter survey indicate healthier rivers
Volunteers have been trained to survey for signs of European Otter Lutra lutra Results provide new evidence of the health of six tributaries in the south of Greater Manchester During the winter of 2022 and spring of 2023, trained volunteers searched for field signs left by otters around bridges along…
Otters return to Greater Manchester
New analysis of records collated by the Greater Manchester Ecology Unit demonstrate that Otters have returned to Greater Manchester and are present across the region. Otters were nearly wiped out in the UK between the 1950s and 1970s. Changes to the law and environmental improvements led to a return to…