Creating & enhancing habitats at Roch Valley
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.
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.
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:
