News
Greater Manchester Embark on Natural Capital Investment Plan
Read moreGreater Manchester Combined Authority and Natural Course have commissioned eftec and partners Environmental Finance and Countryscape to develop the first Natural Capital Investment Plan for the city region. The plan will promote investment and delivery of opportunities that protect and enhance Greater Manchester’s natural capital to support a healthy population…
16,000 trees planted thanks to volunteers at Ribble Rivers Trust
Read moreBetween November 2017 and March 2018 over 16,000 trees were planted across the Ribble Catchment to help improve water quality, as part of the European Life Integrated Project, Natural Course. This has been thanks to the time and effort of volunteers at Ribble Rivers Trust who have in total put in…
Celebrating #EUGreenWeek with a Natural Course drop-in session
Read moreOn May 24th, The Rivers Trust, United Utilities, Environment Agency, Natural England and GMCA held a meet and greet in central Manchester to celebrate #EUGreenWeek. On the run-up to the session, the collaborative team invited wider project affiliates involved in the delivery of Natural Course to produce posters about the…
Brown trout found in restored River Medlock
Read moreAn award-winning scheme which restored a stretch of the River Medlock has been further boosted after juvenile brown trout were found in the watercourse. Previously known as the Red River, the Medlock underwent a £250,000 transformation at Clayton Vale which re-naturalised the waterway to encourage habitats for wildlife. Juvenile brown…
Natural Course hosts EU monitor visit
Read moreOn 15th May, the EU LIFE Programme monitor visited the Natural Course project to get an update on progress and visit some project sites. After a general update on project outcomes and plans for the future, the team took the monitor to visit the SuDS project developed by United Utilities…
New street trees on Prestwich High Street to tackle surface water flooding
Read more20 trees including cherry, field maple and sweetgum have been planted as part of a £2 million Bury New Road regeneration programme and the EU LIFE funded Natural Course project. The new street trees have been planted to help tackle surface water flooding, as well as improve the look…
Pioneering green drainage scheme could save Manchester millions
Read moreJumping in puddles has taken on new meaning at one Manchester primary school after experts stepped in to help stop rain being a drain on school budgets. In a scheme which could save millions if replicated across Manchester, with thanks to funding through the Natural Course project, a team headed…
Irwell Management Catchment: Natural Capital Account and Ecosystem Services Opportunities Mapping
Read moreNatural Course launched the outputs from its Natural Capital Account and Ecosystem Services and Opportunity Mapping Study for the Irwell Management Catchment at a dissemination and training workshop held on 23rd April in Manchester.[1] The report provides compelling evidence that the natural environment of the Irwell Management Catchment provides significant…
0ver 50 volunteers are now signed up to be River Guardians of the River Mersey
Read moreMersey Rivers Trust have now trained more than 50 River Guardian volunteers to take regular water samples, to help identify changes in the water quality in the Mersey Basin. The training is part of the Love Your River and Call of Nature campaigns and will contribute to the water quality…
Volunteers map drains, pipes and outfalls to measure diffuse pollution in the River Irk
Read moreSince December 2017, volunteers have been out surveying the River Irk in the northern parts of Greater Manchester to map drains, pipes and outfalls that potentially feed into the River Irk, generating a comprehensive map of possible sources of diffuse pollution which may be impacting the water quality of the…