Amberswood is a 160-hectare nature reserve in Wigan managed by Groundwork on behalf of Wigan Council.
Originally formed by the flooding of former coal mining sites, it consists of a series of small lakes, ponds, woodland and wetlands, including a Site of Biological Importance. It is also home to nationally significant wildlife populations. Amberswood is one of 13 sites that make up an area of 738.21 hectares of precious wetland habitats now known as ‘The Flashes of Wigan and Leigh’. This became a National Nature Reserve in October 2022.
It consists of a series of small lakes, ponds, woodland and wetlands, including a Site of Biological Importance. The wetlands, which were including the willow tit, water voles and the great crested newt.
A place for wildlife and people to thrive
Our work at Amberswood includes a programme of community volunteering, empowering local residents to participate in the management and nature based improvements across the site. We also work with organisations like the Green Crew in Wigan, which provides activities for adults with a learning disability and / or mental health condition.
The site provides an ideal site for people to enjoy nature and where wildlife thrive. It also provides an ideal environment for those interested in working in a environment based role to learn the skills and experience they need for their future careers. Recent examples include Nidal and Billy, who have gone on to establish successful careers in environmental monitoring and landscaping respectively.
Groundwork’s Conservation Team
Our team at Amberswood is led by Senior Project Officer, Joe Darby.
In this short film, Joe describes how Groundwork works with people and organisations from the local community to conserve and protect this beautiful green site.