Restoring Habitats in The Medlock Valley
Background
Groundwork Greater Manchester worked with The Conservation Volunteers, City of Trees, Mersey Rivers Trust, Canal and Rivers Trust and alongside Manchester, Oldham and Tameside council to deliver the Medlock Valley Restoration Project.
Funded by the UK Government’s Species Survival Fund, the aim of the project was to halt the decline of important species like Bats, Water Voles, Willow Tits, Great Crested Newts and Waxcap fungi by improving vital habitats along the River Medlock. We worked alongside local communities in Manchester, Oldham and Tameside, giving them the opportunity to be involved in practical conservation work and learn all about the species we’re working to protect.
Why are Riparian Habitats important?
The Riparian Zone is made up of the habitats on the banks of our rivers, which play an equally important role in the water ecosystem. Our native woodlands provide shelter to regulate the temperature of the river, and tree roots can provide structure to the river bank, helping prevent erosion. While falling leaves and deadwood provide shelter for the insects that many species living in and along the river feed on.
Having a diverse range of healthy habitats along our rivers also creates wildlife corridors, allowing species like Kingfishers, Bats and Otters to move freely through our towns and cities.
In the River Medlock Valley, we worked to restore woodland, wet woodland and grassland habitats across Manchester, Oldham and Tameside by;
- Diversifying the ages and species of trees in woodlands to improve biodiversity
- Cutting back dominant plant species covering grassland and meadow habitats
- Removing invasive non-native species
- Improving accessibility across all sites
Manchester
City of Trees worked with volunteer groups at Bank Bridge Meadow to remove Dogwood, a native species which has been spreading and covering the meadow habitat. By opening up the space, we’re giving the grassland habitat a chance to be restored and welcome a variety of meadow species back to the site. Volunteers have also created habitat piles with the cut Dogwood to provide shelter for hibernating species over the Winter.
Working alongside City of Trees, Groundwork’s Trainee Rangers opened up other areas of the Meadow by cutting back the Bramble, and by treating Japanese Knotweed in hopes of permanently eradicating it from the site.
The Trainee Rangers received their brush cutter qualification and opened up the meadow habitat at Millstream Open Space by cutting back the overgrown plants.
Prior to their work, the site was completely inaccessible and overgrown. Opening up the space will hopefully allow a variety of plants to grow and improve biodiversity on the site. We’ve also been making the site more accessible so the project teams can bring in volunteers in to help with the restoration works.
Our dedicated team of rangers have supported a targeted ecological restoration through the Medlock Valley project to combat the spread of Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS).
Our primary goal was to treat 3 hectares of affected land, focusing on two highly invasive plants: Japanese Knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) and Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera).
The Mersey Rivers Trust completed riverbank protection along approximately 93 metres of the River Medlock, using existing rocks, 27 tonnes of imported stone, and several fallen willow trees to strengthen the banks and prevent erosion.
The works included placing hay bales in the river to catch sediment, clearing branches for machinery access, and repositioning large fallen willow trees secured with wooden posts. Rocks were arranged along the banks and around the trees to stabilise the river edges, while the tops of the banks were gently reshaped.
Additional loose tree trunks were also positioned and secured to reinforce vulnerable areas. Once the work was finished, all hay bales and equipment were removed from the site, leaving a stronger, more resilient riverbank.
We’ve been working across Clayton Vale, improving the local grasslands and ponds to improve biodiversity in the area.
Across the grasslands, soil testing was carried out and selected compartments were prepared for wildflower seeding. Grass was mown, cuttings were scraped off, and areas were seeded with yellow rattle and wildflowers. Waxcaps were found on site, showing that the grassland was suitable, and the habitat is also beneficial for butterflies.
Pond work was undertaken to benefit local invertebrates and small mammals. Invasive species were removed and additional ditches were created. During the pond works, green skills training was delivered, including classroom-based learning on ponds and wetland habitats, as well as practical pond improvement work.
Work took place at Culcheth Lane Pond in 2024 and 2025, including thinning reeds, removing litter, and cutting back overhanging branches to increase light levels. In 2025, additional work was carried out on the dipping pond, creating more open water by removing reeds.
Species monitoring workshops and guided surveys were delivered to assess a variety of different species across the Medlock Valley, generating valuable data and supporting community engagement in conservation.
Across Manchester’s nature sites, City of Trees hosted species monitoring sessions for local butterflies, as well as newts, bats and waxcap mushrooms.
- 7 different species of butterflies were recorded across Clayton Vale and Bank Bridge Meadows, including Orange Tips, Meadow Browns and Small Whites.
- 4 different species of waxcaps were recorded across Clayton Vale and Bank Bridge Meadows, including Blackening Waxcaps and Golden Waxcaps.
- 4 different species of bats were recorded across Clayton Vale, Bank Bridge Meadows and Millstream Open Space, including Common pipistrelles and Soprano pipistrelles.
- 4 different types of newts were found in Clayton Vale, including Smooth Newts and Palmate Newts.
Oldham
Groundwork invited local volunteers to help us remove Himalayan Balsam, an invasive non-native plant species, from alongside the Brook in Lees Brook. Removing the plant before it flowers stops the seed pods from bursting and spreading hundreds of seeds into and alongside the Brook.
Over the Winter months, we worked with volunteers on a monthly basis to clear and maintain the network of footpaths and steps around the site to improve accessibility.
Groundwork worked with volunteers across the Medlock Valley, clearing up local waterways as part of the Great British Spring Clean. Our team were joined at Daisy Nook Country Park by the Friends of Daisy Nook group and United Utilities River Rangers, who collected over 30 bags of rubbish in just a few hours.
Together, they uncovered a variety of discarded items, from pieces of furniture to wet wipes. Clearing these items from the river will aid the re-establishment of these vital habitats, protecting local wildlife.
Our Groundwork rangers and contractors selectively thinned unhealthy trees at Lees Brook Nature Reserve to improve woodland health. Groundwork and City of Trees also planted 5,000 trees on the site, while a two-person team from Treestation spent four days carving nesting and roosting habitats into existing trees; this technique is known as tree veteranisation. These included bat cavities, owl boxes and bird nesting holes suitable for coal tit, blue tit and willow tit.
Carved habitats offer greater thermal stability than attached boxes, better mimicking natural conditions while remaining discreet. City of Trees plans to install wildlife cameras in March to monitor interest in these new homes.
A weir at Lees Brook Nature Reserve was removed to slow river flows, naturalise the riverbanks and improve riparian habitats. The pathway along the river was also moved further away, to improve accessibility since the area would be more prone to flooding without the weir.
Reconstruction works also progressed downstream from the former weir location, alongside the path realignment to bring residents closer to the river and improve fish movement and ecological connectivity.
Tameside
Over the past few years, the Canal & River Trust have been working with volunteers to improve the habitats along Ashton Canal. These activities range from scrub clearance and woodland management to invasive species removal.
This work ensures that local waterways are more clear for wildlife and less likely to spread invasive species, such as Himalayan Balsam and Pennywort. Cutting back the brambles also makes the area more accessible, encouraging local people to explore the waterways.
City of Trees, our Groundwork rangers and local volunteers were busy at Sunnybank Vale, with the woodland undergoing targeted management to boost biodiversity, support native species, and improve public access. The team selectively thinned non-native species such as Sycamore and Norway Maple, alongside overabundant native species like Ash, Alder, Hazel, Hawthorn, and Willow, to create space for scarcer trees like Oak to thrive. They also used the thinned trees to create habitat piles for the local wildlife.
To further support biodiversity, plans included creating specialized habitats for Willow Tits by attaching rotting branches to trees, litter cleanups to discourage fly tipping, and wildflower plugs and seeds were planted in selected areas to encourage ground flora to establish and spread naturally over time.
Groundwork worked with the Friends of Sunnybank Vale group to create a wetland area near the pond. We dug a trench in an already boggy area and lined it so it could collect water. This will fill with water in times of heavy rainfall and likely dry out in dry months, creating a great seasonal pond/wetland habitat.
With some of the remaining turf, we created a hibernation area for local wildlife. We also added some marginal plants in the main pond such as marsh marigold and purple loosestrife to stabilise the wetland and prevent erosion.
Species monitoring workshops and guided surveys were delivered to assess a variety of different species across Sunnybank Vale, generating valuable data and supporting community engagement in conservation.
City of Trees hosted species monitoring sessions across the nature site for local butterflies and bats.
- 11 species of butterflies were recorded on the site, including Speckled Woods, Ringlets, Painted Ladys and Gatekeepers.
- 3 species of bats were recorded in Sannybank Vale, including Common pipistrelles and Soprano pipistrelles.
After the species monitoring sessions concluded, volunteers who had taken part continued to monitor species independently, submitting their findings to the Greater Manchester Ecology Unit.
Canal work
The Canal & River Trust has been working with volunteers and contractors to improve biodiversity along the Ashton and Rochdale canals. The work focused on invasive species control, scrub management, and grassland enhancement to support native wildlife and restore natural habitats.
What else did we do?
Project partners delivered a programme of green skills training to equip people with the necessary knowledge and skills to facilitate climate action and upskill the workforce. We also ran a programme of activities and events to connect people, community groups, businesses and schools with the nature on their doorstep.
This project has been made possible thanks to funding from the UK Government’s Species Survival Fund.
