{"id":265857,"date":"2025-07-15T03:11:17","date_gmt":"2025-07-15T03:11:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/265857\/"},"modified":"2025-07-15T03:11:17","modified_gmt":"2025-07-15T03:11:17","slug":"national-nature-reserves-open-near-greater-manchester","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/265857\/","title":{"rendered":"National Nature Reserves open near Greater Manchester"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&#8211; Advertisement &#8211;<a data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/LH_dining_offers\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" class=\"a2t-link\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Lowry_hotel_LEADERBOARD\u2014MAR25\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Lowry_hotel_LEADERBOARD-MAR25.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-lazyload\" width=\"728\" height=\"90\" style=\" max-width: 100%; height: auto;opacity: 1 !important;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>A new National Nature Reserve (NNR) is opening up across the mosslands west of Manchester, offering millions of residents access to some of the most ecologically important landscapes in the country.<\/p>\n<p>The newly launched Risley, Holcroft and Chat Moss National Nature Reserve stretches across a mosaic of peatlands between Salford, Irlam, Cadishead, Wigan, and Warrington, forming part of the wider Great Manchester Wetlands.<\/p>\n<p>Chat Moss National Nature Reserve<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"705\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Chat-Moss-1024x705.jpg\" alt=\"National Nature Reserve\" class=\"wp-image-200160\"  \/>Chat Moss<\/p>\n<p>This vital green corridor is now recognised as part of the King\u2019s Series of National Nature Reserves, one of only 25 flagship sites being created by 2027 to help nature recover and reconnect communities with the natural world.<br \/>Why It Matters to Greater Manchester<\/p>\n<p>Chat Moss National Nature Reserve<\/p>\n<p>This new reserve puts nature within 10 miles of over 2.7 million people, including residents in some of the most densely populated areas of Greater Manchester. It includes the mosslands that hug the western edges of Salford, Trafford, and Wigan, giving families, walkers, cyclists and schools easier access to open, wild green space on their doorstep.<\/p>\n<p>These sites, Chat Moss, Holcroft Moss, and Risley Moss, form a rare and ancient habitat that\u2019s been 10,000 years in the making. They\u2019re home to curlew, lapwing, adders, lizards, and unique peatland plants like sundew.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"898\" height=\"599\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Mancheseter-liverpool-railway.jpg\" alt=\"National Nature Reserve\" class=\"wp-image-200162\"  \/>Manchester-Liverpool railway \u2013 Photocredit: Science and Industry Museum <\/p>\n<p>Once at the heart of the Industrial Revolution, <a href=\"https:\/\/ilovemanchester.com\/liverpool-and-manchester-railway-history\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">when George Stephenson\u2019s \u2018floating\u2019 railway cut through Chat Moss to connect Liverpool and Manchester<\/a>, this landscape is now leading a new kind of revolution\u2014one of climate action, wildlife restoration and community reconnection.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s being protected?<\/p>\n<p>The reserve spans an area the size of 750 rugby pitches (or 25 Trafford Centres) and contains some of the last remaining lowland peat bogs in England. These habitats are crucial for:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Carbon storage<\/strong> \u2013 peat holds more carbon than any other land type<\/li>\n<li><strong>Flood prevention<\/strong> \u2013 acting like natural sponges to hold water<\/li>\n<li><strong>Biodiversity<\/strong> \u2013 providing homes for rare birds, insects and reptiles<\/li>\n<li><strong>Wellbeing<\/strong> \u2013 offering quiet green space for people to walk, breathe, and connect with nature<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>What is a peatland?<\/p>\n<p>Peatlands like Chat Moss were formed slowly over thousands of years, beginning at the end of the last Ice Age. Rich in biodiversity and carbon, these mosses were once vast, wild landscapes stretching across what is now the North West\u2019s industrial heartland.<\/p>\n<p>But during the 19th century, as Greater Manchester expanded and industry boomed, these lands were drained, dug up, and damaged. <a href=\"https:\/\/ilovemanchester.com\/liverpool-and-manchester-railway-history\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">George Stephenson\u2019s famous railway line between Liverpool and Manchester<\/a>, the first of its kind, was built across Chat Moss on a \u201cfloating\u201d bed of wood and stone. It was a triumph of engineering, but it opened the door to further loss of the land\u2019s natural character.<\/p>\n<p>Now, that story is being rewritten.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tony-Juniper.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-200161\"  \/>Tony Juniper, Natural England<\/p>\n<p>As Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, explained: \u201cThis part of England led the world in industrial innovation\u2014and today it shows leadership in nature recovery. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cNature is vital for our health, wealth and security. Spending time outdoors helps our wellbeing, supports the local economy, and builds resilience to the challenges of climate change.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeatlands are among the most effective natural tools we have to tackle the climate crisis. They store vast amounts of carbon, absorb rainfall to help prevent flooding, and support some of the UK\u2019s most unique species. Yet over 80% of England\u2019s peatlands are currently degraded.<\/p>\n<p>The creation of this reserve is a powerful step toward reversing that.<\/p>\n<p>Nature, right on our doorstep<\/p>\n<p>For residents of Salford, Wigan, Trafford, Irlam, Cadishead, and surrounding areas, these green spaces are no longer out of reach. They\u2019re just around the corner.<\/p>\n<p>Mary Creagh, the Government\u2019s Nature Minister, summed up the significance of the announcement: \u201cThis beautiful landscape will now have the chance to recover and thrive after centuries of damage. It provides wonderful wild spaces for local people to enjoy, and it shows our commitment to turning the tide on nature\u2019s decline.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This is the 10th site to be designated under the King\u2019s Series, with 25 new National Nature Reserves planned by 2027. In the North West, this reserve connects to other key wildlife sites like the Flashes of Wigan and Leigh, Rostherne Mere, and the Bollin to Mersey Nature Recovery Project, forming an ambitious, joined-up network of wetlands and woodlands.<\/p>\n<p>The reserve will be jointly managed by Natural England, Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Forestry England, The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside, Warrington Borough Council, Wigan Council, and the Woodland Trust.<\/p>\n<p>Together, they\u2019ll work to restore habitats, support wildlife, and provide accessible green space for the region\u2019s growing population.<\/p>\n<p>And for Greater Manchester, it\u2019s a sign that this once-industrial landscape is again leading by example, this time, in the fight for a healthier and more resilient future for everyone to enjoy. <\/p>\n<p>You can find out more about the new National Nature Reserves by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/news\/historic-peatlands-at-the-heart-of-the-industrial-revolution-to-become-new-national-nature-reserve\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">clicking here<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Advertisement &#8211;<a data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/3W0kWXw\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" class=\"a2t-link\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"happyradio_lb-banner\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/happyradio_lb-banner.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-lazyload\" style=\"display: inline-block; max-width: 100%; height: auto;opacity: 1 !important;\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"&#8211; Advertisement &#8211; A new National Nature Reserve (NNR) is opening up across the mosslands west of Manchester,&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":265858,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8813],"tags":[748,393,4884,91988,2465,16,15,1717],"class_list":{"0":"post-265857","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-manchester","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-green-space","12":"tag-manchester","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom","15":"tag-wildlife"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114855063483138070","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265857","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=265857"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265857\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/265858"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=265857"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=265857"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=265857"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}