News
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…
Findings from the invasive, non-native species survey of the River Irwell released
Invasive, non-native species (INNS) of plant are a major threat to the health of our rivers and are also damaging to the wider environment and economy. Between June and October 2022, we conducted the largest and most comprehensive survey of INNS plants of the Irwell catchment. Greater Manchester Combined Authority…
Winter Wetland Bird Blitz – good for volunteers and good for nature
Did you know that spending time in and around green and blue spaces is beneficial to health and wellbeing1? The ‘five steps to wellbeing’2 encourage us all to connect, be active, take notice, learn and give, which is why activities such as this year’s annual Winter Wetland Bird Blitz (WWBB)…
Project Update: Monitoring winter water birds on the River Irwell
New report published reveals changes to water birds using the River Irwell In 2018, Kersal Wetlands (28-hectare flood basin that lies within a meander of the River Irwell and includes 5 hectares of urban wetland habitat) was constructed as part of a flood protection scheme at the site of the…
Project Update: Catchment Benchmarking
Report on catchment partnerships across the North West River Basin District published Natural Course has published its final report from the Catchment Benchmarking project, commissioned to Eunomia Research & Consulting Ltd. The project examined how catchment partnerships currently work across the North West River Basin District (NWRBD), including the challenges…
New survey for Natural Course stakeholders
Have you been involved in the delivery of a Natural Course project? If so, we would like to hear from you! As part of the suite of work being undertaken to help monitor the impacts of the Natural Course programme, we would like to gain a better understanding of the…
Project update – Reviewing the model for water management in the North West
One area that we know can impact on waterbodies meeting good ecological status is water governance. Water governance arrangements across the North West River Basin District vary considerably, and as part of a wider package of work we commissioned a consultant (Eunomia) to take a closer look at the governance arrangements…
New River Corridor Studies Published
Greater Manchester Combined Authority commission a River Corridor Study of the Whittle Brook Catchment in Bury and Rochdale. Findings and recommendations will inform the strategic and detailed planning of the Heywood-Pilsworth development. Whittle Brook runs through mostly agricultural land between Bury and Rochdale in Greater Manchester and the catchment includes…
Project update – Catchment Benchmarking
New report on Catchment Partnerships across the North West River Basin District published. Natural Course has published its first report from the catchment benchmarking project. The project is looking at how Catchment Partnerships are currently working across the North West River Basin District, their challenges, good practices, and opportunities to…