Creating & Enhancing Habitats at Roch Valley in Rochdale

Thanks to funding received from the Veolia Environmental Trust and Entrust over the past 3 years we have been working with partners, including the Wildlife Trust, to carry out a number of habitat improvements at Roch Valley, a nature site of biological importance in Heywood in Rochdale.

Roch valley green space

Works completed include:

  • The creation of a timber viewing platform – meaning that visitors can now safely stand and observe the wildlife around the River Roch.
  • Installation of stock proof fencing around the site – this will allow grazing animals to come onto the site in future to graze the meadows in a sustainable way.
  • Bank stabilisation – a series of coir rolls have been inserted along the back in a ‘terrace’ formation to stabilise the banking following a landslip.
  • Treatment of invasive species – Japanese Knotweed that was present on the river back was professionally treated to allow for native species to thrive.
Roch Valley fencing
Nature features
Working on Roch Valley

These works have led to some significant biodiversity improvements, including:

  • A larger spread of Meadow Saxifrage, a native wildflower
  • Signs of Early Purple Orchids and other wildflower species appearing in the sward for the first time in known history
  • Hedgerow regeneration and growth
  • Sighting of otter in the Roch Valley area

Made possible thanks to support from:

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