Lapwing - Summer 2025 by Lancashire Wildlife Trust

Brass among the brambles

— Are the butterflies back?

— You raised £300,000 for wildlife

The orchid that fools the bees

Senior Trust Officers

Patrons

Edwin Booth

President

Lord Alton of Liverpool

Vice President

Ted Jackson MBE

Honorary Vice President

Baroness Williams of Trafford

Chairman

Chris Davies

Vice Chairs

Deborah Shackleton CBE & Sheila Pankhurst

Treasurer

Nicholas Williams

Chief Executive

Tom Burditt

Director of Nature Recovery

Rachel Antwis

Director of Nature and Wellbeing

Daveen Wallis

Head of Finance

Steve Wood

Editor Jenny Bennion E. jbennion@lancswt.org.uk

Sub Editors

Alan Wright, Lydia German, Kirsty Tyler, Amy Shakeshaft

Trust Headquarters

The Barn, Berkeley Drive, Bamber Bridge, Preston PR5 6BY T. 01772 324129 www.lancswt.org.uk

Design www.nectarcreative.com

Cover photography

Bee Orchid © Phil Smith

Lapwing is produced for the Members and Supporters of The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside. Views expressed here are not necessarily those of the Trust.

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust is a Registered Charity (No.229325) and a Registered Company (No.731548) dedicated to the protection and promotion of wildlife in Lancashire, seven boroughs of Greater Manchester and four of Merseyside, all lying North of the River Mersey.

Stepping up the pace for wildlife...

It was such a pleasure to meet so many Trust supporters as I completed my 100km run around some of our nature reserves in Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseysideall in aid of our Step up for Wildlife fundraising appeal.

Over the course of a week I visited Warton Crag, Heysham Nature Reserve, Foxhill Bank, Brockholes, Boilton Wood, Witton Country Park Greenhouses, Freshfield Dune Heath, Seaforth, Lunt Meadows, our headquarters next to Cuerden Valley Park, Astley Moss, Wigan Flashes, Abram Flash, Lightshaw Meadows and Bickershaw; plus other favourite spots like the Rimrose Valley in between.

Seeing such a variety of wild places, meeting the staff and volunteers who work there, along with so many of our supporters, was heartening and gave me a lift to get my aching muscles out of bed every day.

I was also lucky enough to be joined on large parts of the run by my colleagues from around the Trust. Running with people certainly adds a spring to your step, but the bits on my own also gave me a chance to appreciate nature – skylarks and lapwing in particular were a lovely soundtrack.

And talking about soundtracks, this spring I have also been involved in making music, taking my trombone along to Scutcher’s Acres in Burscough, where I joined the LWT band (and several songbirds) to play in the Trumpeter’s Wood (pages 40 and 41). Scutcher’s is a magical place for nature, and a magnificent achievement by the man who created it, showing the impact that one person with love, passion and hard work can have on contributing to nature’s recovery. I think we all felt privileged as we performed.

Of course, all the time I was running I knew that our members and supporters were sponsoring me, and it was part of a fantastic whole Trust fundraising effort as we have now exceeded £300,000 for the Step Up for Wildlife appeal! I am so grateful to everyone who supported our amazing fundraising efforts, which has been hugely beneficial to the Lancashire Wildlife Trust’s work for wildlife right across our region.

"Of course, all the time I was running I knew that our members and supporters were sponsoring me, and it was part of a fantastic whole Trust fundraising effort"

Summer is a brilliant time to look out for wildlife, and in this issue of Lapwing we talk about stoats, weasels, mink, roe deer, snakes, slow worms, orchids and (one of my favourites) the mysterious elm-canopy-dwelling, white letter hairstreak butterfly.

Our work is also reaching fresh audiences through a new project in Wythenshawe (pages 12 and 13), and we are providing opportunities and discovering conservationists in the LGBTQ+ community (page 36 and 37). It is important that nature is for everyone and is there to benefit all.

I hope that my run has raised awareness of the incredible work we do, and the vital role that you, our members, play in supporting it.

Have a lovely summer.

Tom Burditt, Chief Executive Officer

Tom is greeted at Astley Moss by conservation officers Matthew Freeman and Ali Rajabali © A.J.Critch Wildlife

Experience a Brockholes butterfly safari

A safari on a small scale; visit Brockholes nature reserve to spot a wide range of butterflies, including an elusive few that might require a bit of planning and patience.

Most people might recognise some of our large and distinctive UK butterfly species, such as the red admiral and peacock. However, thanks to our management of the reserve, many other species can be relatively easily found and identified at Brockholes throughout the spring and summer months. Here we'll point you in the direction of some of the species to look out for, including one that is a little bit special. Why not try a butterfly safari on your next visit and see how many species you can spot?

A good, but maybe not obvious, location to start is around the car park and play area. Here the grassland habitat is being enhanced to improve wildflower diversity and attract pollinating species. First out, in April, is the distinctive orange tip, a small white butterfly with black tips to its forewings. The males also have bright orange on their forewings, so are easy to identify.

The small copper emerges in May and is diminutive in size but displays bright orange forewings, with black spots. From June you can spot the meadow brown which is larger and predominantly brown but has orange patches on the forewing and a black eyespot with a single white dot in the centre.

Strolling towards the Visitor Village, look to your right where common blue butterflies are often numerous from May onwards, feeding on flowers on the sunny bank. These are small creatures, but the male’s blue wings are conspicuous when open. Large skipper is another species to look for. With its rotund hairy body and small, hairy brown and orange wings it visually resembles a moth.

Continue your butterfly safari by walking from the Visitor Village to the Lookout, joining the Ribble Way and Guild Wheel.

"Why not try a butterfly safari on your next visit and see how many species you can spot?"

Stroll north towards Boilton Wood to find speckled wood butterflies favouring the dappled shade provided by the hedgerows and trees. Notably, this species feeds on honeydew, a sugar-rich liquid excreted by other insects. Reaching the woodland, beautiful purple hairstreak are only on the wing briefly from July to August and remain high around the canopies of the mature oak trees, so take binoculars for a rare sighting.

Finally, if undertaking your safari between late-June and late-July, a key destination is the bramble thickets at the entrance to Boilton Wood. Here, with patience, you may see Brockholes’ star butterfly species; the white-letter hairstreak. This elusive species has a distinctive white W shaped marking on the underside of its wing.

This special sighting is rare because Brockholes is at the northern extent of the white-letter hairstreak’s UK range. Also, it is only on the wing for one month of the year and the caterpillars’ exclusive foodplant is unfortunately elm trees. In the 1970s Dutch Elm Disease devastated the UK elm tree population and white-letter hairstreak suffered a severe decline too.

A greenhairstreak butterfly has just been spotted at Brockholes – only the second record for the reserve!

Diseased trees are felled and removed to stop the disease spreading and their loss is mitigated by planting replacement Wych elm trees most years, to give a broad age span for the future.

Wych elm is the host tree at Brockholes, particularly along the sunny southern edge of Boilton Wood. Adult butterflies have a weak flight so flutter down from the trees to feed on the bramble flowers below, then fly back up to lay eggs on the elm. Sadly, mature elm trees still succumb to disease, so we are managing the woodland to enable the hairstreak population to persist.

Excitingly, we have also planted disease resistant elm cultivars in winter 2024-25, so we hope to see this elusive butterfly at Brockholes for many years to come.

By Tom Irvine Brockholes Reserve Officer

Brockholes butterfly records

Brimstone

Comma

Common blue

Gatekeeper

Green hairstreak

Green veined white

Holly blue

Large skipper

Large white

Meadow brown

Orange tip

Painted lady

Peacock

Purple hairstreak

Red admiral

Ringlet

Small copper

Small skipper

Small tortoiseshell

Small white

Speckled wood

Wall brown

White-letter hairstreak

White letter hairstreak at Brockholes © Ken Hayes

, Common blue at Brockholes © Jim Beattie

, Meadow brown at Brockholes © Alison Wellby

, Small copper at Brockholes © Ken Hayes

, Common blue at Brockholes © Leslie Price

, Speckled wood at Brockholes © Paul Lambert

Lunt is picture perfect

We love it when people share their photos, art and writing of nature reserves and wildlife with us.

The Trust’s Molly Toal meets Lynn Marie Riley , who took up photography after visiting Lunt Meadows.

We manage our reserves for the benefit of wildlife, but also for people to enjoy and connect with nature. So, it is always wonderful to hear how our reserves and the wildlife in them inspire people. Lynn Marie Riley is one such person.

Lynn, who lives near Lunt Meadows, has been a regular visitor to the reserve for years. On her regular walks, Lynn watched photographers at their craft, and because of this bird photography caught her interest.

So, she got her own camera and, in May 2020, took up the hobby herself.

Lynn says that her first photograph was of a robin, and five years on she has certainly found something she is very talented at. Many of her photos tell a story and are full of the animal’s personality.

Her timing is excellent. I particularly like the greylag goose coming in to land. Lynn says that her favourite photo is of the barn owl and kestrel fighting over a mouse, something that often happens at Lunt, but not normally directly above a photographer’s head.

Lynn’s top tip for anyone wanting to get into photography is to speak to other photographers and to join a club, where photographers of different levels and experience are happy to share tips and learn from each other.

However you choose to experience your nature moments, our nature reserves offer the perfect setting.

By Molly Toal Communications and Engagement Officer, Lunt Meadows Nature Reserve

"Lynn’s top tip for anyone wanting to get into photography is to speak to other photographers and to join a club, where photographers of different levels and experience are happy to share tips and learn from each other."

, A kestrel stares at the camera © Lynn Marie Riley

, A greylag goose coming in to land © Lynn Marie Riley

Have you been inspired by wildlife on our nature reserves?

Enter our photo competition for a chance to have your photo be part of our Wildlife Calendar - pages 24-25

BOOK REVIEW: The Marsh Tit and the Willow Tit by Richard K Broughton

A big thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing who kindly supplied our Wet Willow Wildlife project with a copy of this book.

Ruth Crawford from The Conservation Volunteers, our project partner, has reviewed the book whilst planning habitat work to benefit our precious willow tits.

‘This book provides a comprehensive insight into the lives of willow tits and marsh tits, both of which are facing significant population decline in the UK. Bringing together research from across Asia and Europe, the book is the first to explore and compare topics like habitat, breeding, species dispersal and diet.

Illustrative and engaging throughout, this book is an essential read for those involved in projects to conserve willow tits, marsh tits and the habitats that they rely on.

The books’ exploration of willow tit habitat use across the UK and in Europe was especially relevant to our Wet Willow Wildlife Project.’

, A water vole swims across a ditch © Lynn Marie Riley

, Kestrels often try to pinch food off the barns owl © Lynn Marie Riley

, Whitethroat are a summer resident at Lunt Meadows © Lynn Marie Riley

, A great crested grebe rustles its feathers © Lynn Marie Riley

Step Up For Wildlife

We are thrilled to share the incredible news that we have reached our goal in the most ambitious fundraiser in the history of the Trust.

Cast your mind back to November 2023. The State of Nature report had just been released – and we were all floored by the statistics it shared. One in six species at risk of extinction. A 54 per cent decline in plant species. 86 per cent of habitats in urgent need of restoration.

It led to conversations in our team about our favourite wildlife moments; the joy of hearing the snuffle of a hedgehog in your garden at night, each of us recalling the first murmuration we witnessed at Brockholes nature reserve, or the excitement of spotting a red squirrel hopping amongst the trees.

These shared stories and experiences – that may well resonate with many of you– motivated us to launch our most ambitious fundraising appeal to date, so that we could step up our actions for the incredible species that call our region home.

And so, Step Up For Wildlife became an integral part of our work for the next 16 months.

We are thrilled to say that not only have we met our £300,000 target, but we have exceeded it – and it’s all thanks to your generosity and kindness. We’re delighted to share the news that we’ve raised £314,566 for wildlife!

There were four arms to the appeal which helped us to focus on the critical areas where we knew we could make a real impact. And your kind donations have been supporting some incredible efforts...

We’ve been working to bring back lost wildlife by supporting our Wet Willow Wildlife project, by helping to protect our red squirrel stronghold, and by stepping up for our tern colony at Seaforth. By restoring and enhancing over 90 meters of hedgerow habitat at Cutacre nature reserve, we’re creating nature recovery networks that will support the endangered grey partridge populations in the area.

, Your donations helped to support our work at Brockholes nature reserve © Laura Cronin

Thank you for helping us to raise an amazing£314,566 for wildlife!

"We’re thrilled that so many of you wanted to personally contribute to this incredible collective effort to change the future for our precious wildlife and landscapes."

Our work to enhance ponds across the region, especially ones which support our great crested newt population, was a key area of our appeal and will create a network of ponds to allow our amphibians, and many other species, to flourish.

Our Education Team have been delivering outreach programmes to more schools, allowing children to create connections with wildlife and nature, helping us to put nature at the heart of many local communities. And, of course, all of our combined efforts were tackling the climate emergency, including our year of funded conservation work at Brockholes nature reserve.

Fundraising efforts included everything from our Wild Wednesday Webinars where many of you joined our experts for a ‘behind the scenes’ insight into our work, sponsored 30 wild swims a day for a month, a second-hand clothing sale, countless walks and running efforts, and even volunteering at our reserves every day for a month – we did it!

We’re thrilled that so many of you wanted to personally contribute to this incredible collective effort to change the future for our precious wildlife and landscapes. Once again, an enormous thank you to every single one of you who have been a part of this journey.

This is an amazing milestone to have achieved, and you should be proud of the part you have played in this.

Wildlife will always need our supportand we will always be here for it. We will continue to keep stepping up, and we hope you continue to be by our side.

Thank you from everyone at Lancashire Wildlife Trust

Volunteers hedgelaying at Cutacre were supported by the appeal © Jenny Bennion

Your donations helped to support our work at Brockholes © Lucy Coxhead

The tern colony at Seaforth benefitted from funds from the appeal © Alan Wright

Trustee John Loder during his fundraising challenge to volunteer at 30 nature reserves

Orphaned red squirrel Nutkin is just one of the animals supported by the funds going to our red squirrel project © A.J.Critch Wildlife

The fast and the feistiest

Stoats, weasels and other mustelids are some of the most effective carnivores in our natural kingdom, but many of us will never catch more than a fleeting glimpse of these marvellous mammals…

Stoats

Part of the mustelid family, stoats are usually between 30-40cm from nose to tail and weigh little more than 400g, around the same as a tin of baked beans. Their sandy-brown fur is offset by creamy-white underparts reaching up and along their lower jaw. Shiny black eyes, small ears and twitching whiskers come together to form a charming and inquisitive face.

In some more northern areas, their fur can turn white, known as ermine, in winter to help camouflage them in the snow. This disguises all except the black tip of their tail which is thought to be an evolutionary trick to help distract birds of prey which can predate stoats, drawing their attention to the tail rather than more vulnerable parts of their long, low body.

This streamlined body shape is ideal for helping stoats to pursue their prey of small mammals such as mice and voles into their underground burrows, but stoats will also scamper up trees to raid birds’ nests.

Did you know?

Stoats will attack and kill rabbits which can be up to five times their size. A single bite to the base of the skull is all it takes.

Pine martens

Much larger than stoats and weasels, pine martens are similar in size to a domestic cat and have chocolate-brown fur, with each animal having a distinctive pattern to the creamy-yellow ‘bib’ on their chest. Critically endangered in much of the UK, populations survive in Scotland, Cumbria and North Wales, along with a reintroduced population in the Forest of Dean.

As pine martens can survive at very low densities and are extremely hard to survey, it is not impossible that one or two could stray into our region, but sadly there are currently no confirmed records.

How can you help?

Stoats, weasels and mink are significantly under recorded in our region. Please send any sightings into your local Environmental Record Centre, or record them via the iNaturalist app.

, Stoat with prey © Tom Hibbert

American mink

Introduced into the UK for the fur trade in the 1920s, there is now an increasing wild population of American mink as a result of escapes and releases from fur farms into the 1960s and 70s. Mink are extremely voracious predators and pose a significant threat to our native water vole and seabird populations.

Mink can vary significantly in size, with many females being small enough to swim into water vole burrows, where our beloved ‘Ratty’ is vulnerable. Along with habitat loss, mink predation is one of the main drivers in the decline of our water vole population by up to 90 per cent since the 1970s.

Projects are underway to support the recovery of water vole numbers by controlling mink. Hertfordshire & Middlesex Wildlife Trust has managed to completely eradicate this invasive non-native species from Hertfordshire through a series of volunteer managed humane traps, giving new hope for the recovery of our endangered water voles.

Polecats

Roughly the size of a ferret, its domesticated cousin, polecats were once on the brink of extinction in the UK. Whilst numbers are slowly recovering, it is likely that many sightings are of polecat-ferret hybrids, although a small number of confirmed sightings have now been recorded in our region. They are most easily identifiable for their bandit-like appearance with a black eye mask.

Vincent Wildlife Trust are undertaking the National Polecat Survey – search ‘NPS24-25’ to find out more and submit your sightings.

Otters are another member of the mustelid family which has seen a rapid recovery of numbers from being at near extinction in the 1970s. Did you know that there are now more otters recorded in Wigan than mink! (Although it is likely that mink numbers are under recorded.)

Weasels

Our smallest carnivore, weasels, use their small size to great effect. Weasels are only around 20cm long – not much bigger than the mice and voles they eat. With the same white underparts as stoats, the rest of their fur shines a deep russet brown and ends in a short tail.

Weasels have an amazingly high metabolism meaning that they need to eat around a third of their body weight daily, so along with mice and voles will also take on larger prey such as young rabbits and will readily hunt birds and raid their nests for eggs.

Identifying stoats and weasels apart can be tricky, but weasels move with their body low and flat to the ground, whereas stoats display a characterful, bounding, arched-back gait.

Did you know?

Weasels are the UK’s smallest predator –with some females weighing little more than 50g, about the same as a golf ball.

By Jenny Bennion Senior Communications Officer

, Mink © Peter Smith

, Weasel © John Bridges

, Polecat © Elliot Smith

Championing Nature in Wythenshawe

The juxtaposition of being built as a garden city to improve the lives of those working in industrial Manchester, to then being known as the ‘biggest council estate in Europe’ and even being immortalised as one of the filming locations in the TV show Shameless, Wythenshawe has a varied and colourful history.

It has some of the most deprived wards in the country, yet Wythenshawe is full of parks and other green spaces, all of which could provide a vital haven for wildlife and people with just a little helping hand.

Thankfully work is starting to keep Wythenshawe wild.

Championing Nature is a six year programme, made possible by Wimbledon (yes the famous tennis people!) and Emirates, is aimed at creating a positive and lasting impact in urban communities through greater connections and engagement with nature.

Lancashire Wildlife Trust is one of four Trusts taking part, along with London Wildlife Trust, Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust, and Northumberland Wildlife Trust.

The programme will bring together multiple teams from LWT to create a huge impact and lasting legacy in the area. Our education team will be working with some local primary schools, getting children interested and immersed in nature.

, Steve Backshall and tennis star Anne Keothavang enjoying nature with a group of local school children © Andrew Baker, AELTC

"The programme will bring together multiple teams from LWT to create a hopefully huge impact and lasting legacy in the area."

Our community engagement team will be talking with locals and families about what they would like to see happening over the next six years.

And our nature recovery team will be working with Manchester City Council, planning how these activities fit into conservation across the region, creating nature corridors in a very urban habitat crossed with motorways, train lines and a flight path.

Staff members Rory Andrews and Jenni Lea, who are managing the Championing Nature project, were invited down to the All England Lawn Tennis Club Community Tennis Centre in Raynes Park, London, along with Head of Communications, Alan Wright, for the official programme launch.

They were joined by local school children, who came along to take part in bug hotel building and tennis lessons, with Championing Nature ambassador Steve Backshall, and former tennis pro Anne Keothavong.

Rory said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be working with the iconic Wimbledon team on this exciting new partnership. This collaboration will provide a huge boost for both people and nature in Wythenshawe — helping to create greener, healthier spaces and inspiring more local residents to connect with the natural world on their doorstep. Together, we’re laying the foundations for lasting change that will benefit communities and wildlife for years to come.”

By Kirsty Tyler Nature & Wellbeing Communications Officer

This year ' s issue of the North Lancashire Wildlife Group ' s annual magazine is now available.

With 64 A4 pages, 40 reports and articles, and with nearly 300 colour wildlife photographs to illustrate them, Wildlife in North Lancashire 2025 is a wonderful celebration of wildlife in North Lancashire and the surrounding areas.

It includes reports by Wildlife Trust officers, interesting information on taxonomic groups, field reports and a range of miscellaneous wildlife articles.

Find out more and order your copy at nlwg.org.uk

, Rory Andrews and Jenni Lea at the Championing Nature launch with ambassador Steve Backshall © Alan Wright

, Representatives from the Wildlife Trusts, Emirates and the All England Lawn Tennis Club with ambassador Steve Backshall © Andrew Baker, AELTC

Cutacre in bloom : A year of transformation

Over the past 12 months we have been undertaking a transformational project at Cutacre nature reserve that is hugely benefitting biodiversity at the site, and beyond.

Cutacre nature reserve was once a series of overgrazed fields, but thanks to funding from the Valencia Communities Fund along with the Veterinary Green Discussion Forum and a lot of hard work, our team have been busy creating a natural haven for people and wildlife. So, what have we been up to over the past year?

Wildflowers

Last summer we received a delivery of 14kg of yellow rattle seed, which is nicknamed ‘the meadow maker’ as it is hemiparasitic on many of the grasses that can outcompete wildflowers. We also received 7,000 beautiful wildflower plug plants from Cheshire Wildlife Trust, and over the next few years, these will provide an excellent source of seeds for future plants.

Thanks to the hard work of our amazing volunteers who spent time planting and sowing seed, this summer has seen the meadows at Cutacre burst into life, with an estimated 72 million plants on a typical day in early summer!

Hedgelaying and hedge planting

The hedges that criss cross Cutacre are just as important as our meadows, and so we were delighted that fourtime national hedgelaying champion, Peter Gibson, has laid 541 metres of hedges in the traditional Lancashire and Westmorland style across the site for us. This is in addition to the existing 372 metres, which has been laid by our volunteers over the past three years.

Our volunteers, corporate supporters and local school groups have also helped us plant over 1,000 metres of new hedges, featuring a mixture of hazel, holly, hawthorn and other trees that many species will benefit from. This helps us to work towards restoring historic field boundaries and creating better connected habitats.

Pond restoration

Over winter, seven ponds were restored on site thanks to Natural England’s District Level Licencing Scheme, and just a few months after work finished surveys have shown that great crested newts are not only present, but breeding.

This is a strong ecological indicator and shows that the site is already providing the key conditions needed for species recovery.

What’s next for Cutacre?

We will be continuing our pond restoration work later this year. We’re particularly excited to see what we find in the seed banks of historic ponds. Some seeds can lie dormant in old pond sediments, but thanks to the restoration we're hoping that lots of these aquatic plants will burst back into life.

Some seeds can still be viable decades later - in 2019, a plant species extinct in Britain since 1959 (slimy-fruited stonewort) reappeared in six ponds in Suffolk due to the disturbance of the seed bank during restoration works.

"Thanks to the hard work of our amazing volunteers who spent time planting and sowing seed, this summer has seen the meadows at Cutacre burst into life, with an estimated 72 million plants on a typical day in early summer!"

, Corporate partners Cavendish Nuclear hedge planting © Lydia German

, One of the wildflower plug plants © Lydia German

Volunteer at Cutacre and be part of this amazing project – scan the QR code below or visit lancswt.org.uk/ volunteeringopportunities

There are also a number of cuttingedge projects taking place with local universities, including researching the long-term effects of hedgelaying on mental wellbeing, monitoring flying invertebrates by building up a DNA database, and trialling bioacoustic recording of bird species like grey partridge. So watch this space! The reserve is on track to become a valuable site for wildlife and an example of how post-industrial land can be repurposed for nature’s recovery.

We’d like to say a huge thank you to all our volunteers who have been essential to this work over the years –we couldn’t do it without you. We’re always looking for more practical volunteers to join us at either our fortnightly Sunday group or weekly Wednesday group, so get in touch if you’d like to be a part of the project.

Many thanks to the following for supporting work at Cutacre: Valencia Communities Fund, the Veterinary Green Discussion Forum, The Webinar Vet, Mayne Vets, Harrison Family Vet, Rebecca East, Inflexion and Cavendish Nuclear.

By Lydia German Senior Content & Campaigns Officer

, Volunteers Ann Shaw and Paul Thompson planting red campion © Jane Arkwright

, Students from St James's school learning how to plant a hedge © Lydia German

, Great crested newt egg © Stephen Cartwright

, Dan from Cheshire Wildlife Trust delivering our 7,000 plug plants © Stephen Cartwright

Adopt a species, protect a future

Adopt a Species today and protect red squirrels and hedgehogs!

Why adoption matters

Imagine helping wildlife from the comfort of your home — that’s exactly what our new Adopt a Species packs allow you to do. These carefully created gift boxes offer a meaningful way to connect with local wildlife while contributing directly to our conservation work.

Whether you’re treating yourself or giving a thoughtful gift, your adoption goes beyond a cuddly toy — it helps protect two of the North West’s most vulnerable species.

Every pack is a symbol of hope — a small action that helps protect the species we love, right here in the North West.

Spotlight on red squirrels

With their tufted ears and rusted coats, red squirrels are one of the UK’s most iconic and endangered mammals. In North Merseyside, their populations are now restricted to just a few strongholds, mainly due to the spread of grey squirrels and the threat of the squirrelpox virus.

Our red squirrel conservation team works tirelessly in the remaining safe zones, monitoring squirrel health, managing habitats and raising awareness. They also work closely with local volunteers and landowners to protect red squirrel territories and reduce competition with greys, forming a vital part of a wider network of conservation partners.

Every adoption supports this important work — helping ensure red squirrels stay in our landscape for generations to come.

Why hedgehogs need our help

Once a common sight in gardens, hedgehogs have seen a dramatic decline in recent decades. Hedgehogfriendly habitats are disappearing fast, and road traffic and habitat fragmentation are taking a devastating toll.

Through community outreach, education, and by promoting hedgehog-friendly gardening, we’re helping people create safer spaces for hedgehogs — from small urban gardens to rural mini nature reserves.

Creating a hedgehog highway, avoiding slug pellets, and providing food and shelter are just some of the small actions that can make a big difference. Your adoption supports this work and helps to raise awareness about the practical steps everyone can take to welcome hedgehogs back.

"Once a common sight in gardens, hedgehogs have seen a dramatic decline in recent decades. Hedgehog-friendly habitats are disappearing fast, and road traffic and habitat fragmentation are taking a devastating toll. "

What’s in your adoption pack?

Each Adopt a Species pack includes a soft toy, certificate, educational resources and more — all packaged in a recyclable box.

There’s also a digital only version including exclusive phone and desktop wallpapers, available for those who prefer a paper-free option.

Whichever format you choose, your adoption is a special way to show you care. These packs make heartfelt gifts, offering a unique way to inspire a love of nature while supporting real conservation on your doorstep.

By adopting, you're not only giving a meaningful gift — you're actively funding the future of wildlife in your community.

It's a simple but powerful way to stand up for nature. Every adoption helps fund our vital wildlife work across Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside.

By David Price Fundraising Officer

,Hedgehogs © Jon Hawkins

, Adopt a species packs © David Price

, Hedgehog © Jon Hawkins

Deceptive beauties : Orchids are indicators of healthy habitats

A trip to any of our amazing North Lancashire nature reserves could treat you to the sight of one of our favourite natural wonders – orchids.

Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside are home to a diverse array of wildflowers, among which orchids hold a special place. Four species that can be seen regularly on our nature reserves are the common spotted orchid, bee orchid, early purple orchid and the marsh orchid. Each of these orchids has its own unique charm and ecological significance.

Bee orchids can be found on Heysham and Middleton nature reserves on the dry stony soils that make these post-industrial sites so good for wildflower species. Freeman’s Pools nature reserve hosts a good population of marsh orchids in the wet grassland that surrounds the pools.

Common spotted orchids can be seen in the grasslands around the edges of Heysham Moss, and early purple orchids throw up their flowering spikes on the limestone soils of Warton Crag nature reserve.

The common spotted orchid is the most widespread orchid in the UK, gracing woodlands, roadside verges, hedgerows, old quarries, sand dunes and marshes with its delicate beauty. These orchids are not just for decoration; their enticing flowers are also visited by insects such as the five-spot burnet moth.

Early purple orchids, along with other wildflowers like violets and bluebells, add a vibrant purple colour to the woodland floor in spring. These orchids mimic the appearance of nectarrich flowers and deceive insects into pollinating them with the promise of food.

The bee orchid is a master of deception, its velvety labellum mimics the appearance of a female bee, luring male bees in to pollinate it. However, in the UK the specific bee species required for this process does not exist, so the bee orchid self-pollinates.

The bee orchid's ability to mimic its pollinator is a testament to the intricacy and wonder of evolution.

The marsh orchid family includes the northern marsh orchid and the southern marsh orchid (along with many hybrids of the two and sometimes other orchid species). These orchids thrive in damp soils and can be found in marshes, fens and meadows. Each flower has a lip that serves as a landing platform for bees and although the flowers contain no nectar, the insect still takes away some pollen to fertilise other orchids.

Orchids also have a fascinating relationship with mycorrhizal fungi, which are abundant in the healthy wellmanaged soil habitats on our reserves.

, Southern marsh orchid © Philip Reddell

A single common spotted orchid will produce500,000 seeds every year!

Mycorrhizal fungi form symbiotic relationships with the roots of plants, including orchids.

This mutually beneficial relationship allows the orchid to receive essential nutrients from the fungus (which is particularly crucial during the early stages of an orchid's life cycle), and the fungus benefits by obtaining organic carbon from the orchid.

"The sight of a grassland dotted with these vibrant orchids is a reminder of the delicate balance of nature and the importance of conserving such habitats."

Orchids are not just beautiful; they play a crucial role in their ecosystems. Their presence indicates healthy, biodiverse habitats, and they provide essential resources for pollinators.

The sight of a grassland dotted with these vibrant orchids is a reminder of the delicate balance of nature and the importance of conserving such habitats.

By Philip Reddell North Lancs Reserves Officer

Save

the Date for Supporters ’ Day 2025

You are warmly invited to join Supporters’ Day on Saturday 11 October (10 – 4pm) at Darwen Aldridge Community Academy.

Join us for a day full of free workshops, stalls and activities focused on nature’s recovery. Who will you nominate for our volunteer awards?

 Unsung Hero

 Young Nature Champion of the Year

 Most Inspirational Volunteer of the Year

 Volunteer Group of the Year

 Conservation Achievement of the Year

 Learning Through Nature Award

 Business Nature Champion of the Year

 Andy Rowett Outstanding Nature Champion of the Year

Booking and nominations open soon – it’s an event not to be missed!

, Common spotted orchids © Philip Reddell

, Bee orchid © Philip Reddell

Power of the people

Citizen science, the process of volunteers recording and analysing data about our natural world, is a vital tool in our fight to preserve wildlife.

Here in Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside, our volunteers are stepping up to the challenge and helping us to gather important data about many of our precious, but threatened, species.

Willow tit surveying

Now in its second year, our willow tit survey, run in partnership with The Conservation Volunteers, has been a buzzing success across Bolton, the Mersey Gateway and Chat Moss.

Over 100 volunteers attended our lively training workshops, learning to identify the willow tit’s unique ‘chay chay chay’ call, assess habitats, and use the playback method to detect these tiny birds. They also mastered submitting ecological data to the Greater Manchester Local Record Centre.

The results?

Willow tits have declined by 94 per cent between 1967 and 2017, making them the fastest declining resident bird in the UK.

Over 80 volunteers completed surveys, covering an impressive 108 km² and recording at least 34 willow tit sightings (with more data still coming in). This all helps to map willow tit populations, pinpoint potential habitats, and understand habitat connectivity — key for developing future conservation and habitat management plans for this tiny but precious bird.

After completing her training and then surveying her assigned 1km2 area (known as a monad), volunteer Ellie Mundy said: “Being involved in a project like this gives you the opportunity to meet good people, learn new things, help protect wildlife and contribute to something meaningful.”

"Projects like this are not only rewarding and educational but also offer a chance to give back to the community — and to yourself."

Moth surveys

Also as part of the Wet Willow Wildlife project, our citizen science volunteers are surveying moths and setting up sampling stations in wet woodlands to help monitor key species, such as the goat moth.

Anna Keightley is a species recording and practical conservation volunteer with our Sphagnum Squad and also has a special interest in moth surveying. Anna commented: “Wet woodland is a fairly scarce habitat which makes the species reliant on it very vulnerable. Surveying such habitats can generate information that leads to better provision and management, improves biodiversity generally, and benefits us all in the long term.”

At just one moth trapping session back in April, a whole variety of moths were recorded, including the lunar marble brown and iron prominence moths.

Dunnock © Ellie Mundy

"After learning about the diversity of moths we have here in the UK which are usually so difficult to find, it’s great to get the chance to see some of the amazing species."

Volunteer Joe Stonard reflected:

“After learning about the diversity of moths we have here in the UK which are usually so difficult to find, it’s great to get the chance to see some of the amazing species. The individuals who are leading the group are so enthusiastic which makes giving back to nature even more fun and enjoyable.”

Fellow volunteer Max Bullock’s love of moths arose when setting up moth traps with her grandparents and identifying them together. Max is hopeful that by the end of the survey, they will be able to identify a couple of species without needing any books.

Naomi Ennis, another volunteer and zoologist who runs their own animal education business, was excited to share their passion for getting involved: "In our fast-paced lives, it's so important to pause and reconnect with nature. Projects like this are not only rewarding and educational but also offer a chance to give back to the community — and to yourself.”

Nest box surveys

It’s also been a busy few months for some of our other citizen science volunteers who have been checking nest boxes at our Moor Piece nature reserve. Barbara Baldwin and Nancy Bailey say that it is a privilege to get even a tiny glimpse of the private life of a small bird.

As wildlife lovers, volunteering on Moor Piece is a lovely calm place to spend a day listening to wonderful birdsong and doing something practical. “The excitement when you lift the lid and there is a clutch of eggs, or a protective parent is addictive.”

Thank you to all our wonderful volunteers, we couldn’t do it without you. To check out citizen science volunteer opportunities near you, go to lancswt. org.uk/volunteering-opportunities.

By IronfieldEmma Volunteer Manager and Jessica Fung Wet Willow Wildlife Nature Recovery Project Officer

, Moth survey training in Crow Wood Park, Widnes © Emma Ironfield

Chaffinch © Ellie Mundy , Flame shoulder moth © Jessica Fung

, Great crested grebe

Ellie Mundy

, Nest box checking at Moor Piece © Emma Ironfield

Collars for conservation

Our rare breed English longhorn cattle go hightech with help from the University of Essex.

At Lancashire Wildlife Trust we manage a herd of 48 English longhorn cattle that play a vital role in conservation grazing across a range of nature reserves, including Brockholes, Freeman's Pools, Cutacre and Lunt Meadows. Their job? To act as nature’s lawnmowers.

These impressive animals wrap their tongues around clumps of vegetation, chomp on willow, birch and holly trees, whilst their hooves break up the ground, allowing new seedlings to take root. As they move through the landscape, they create paths for invertebrates and leave behind dung that supports an entire community of beetles and other wildlife.

However, managing cattle across such a vast area - from the top of Lancaster to Preston, Merseyside, Manchester and Wigan – comes with its challenges.

That is where NoFence technology comes in.

NoFence is a virtual fencing system powered by solar GPS collars that the cows wear and that is controlled via a mobile app. It allows us to set virtual boundaries and track the cows’ movements in real time.

When a cow approaches a virtual boundary, it hears a clear audible warning. If it continues, it receives a mild electric pulse — much weaker than a traditional electric fence. Our cattle have quickly learned to respond to the sound cue alone, turning calmly away without stress.

The benefits of this technology are huge. We can:

 Monitor the animals’ activity levels to spot early signs of illness

 Prevent them from entering sensitive areas, such as ground-nesting bird habitats or rare plant sites

 Target-graze patches of invasive vegetation

 Rapidly respond to safety issues, such as a broken fence, by remotely adjusting boundaries

This system has revolutionised how we manage conservation grazing –offering flexibility without the need for physical fences that can fragment landscapes and can be difficult and expensive to maintain.

As part of my MSc in Animal Behaviour, I’ve been researching the impact of this technology. My study compares traditional, uncontrolled grazing (where cattle roam freely across a 32-hectare site) with a more managed, rotational grazing system using NoFence.

"These impressive animals wrap their tongues around clumps of vegetation, chomp on willow, birch and holly trees, whilst their hooves break up the ground, allowing new seedlings to take root."

Normally, rotational grazing is labourintensive, involving constant fence adjustments, but now we can simply update boundaries from home using the app, and observe how the cattle respond. The goal is to measure whether we can achieve more effective vegetation outcomes using NoFence to guide grazing behaviour.

The cattle have been closely monitored throughout, with regular behavioural and welfare observations. Initial findings suggest that NoFence does not negatively impact their social behaviour or herd dynamics. In fact, they seem perfectly content and adapt quickly to different management techniques.

, Tamsin, showing off those horns © Charlotte Sidey, Sefton council

Collars from the University of Essex allow full herd access to innovative, flexible conservation grazing

We’re also thrilled that our English longhorn herd has been growing rapidly - particularly over the last 12 months and thanks to the support of everyone who donated to our recent Big Give campaign. However, this growth has meant we didn’t initially have enough NoFence collars for every animal. Because the system only works when the entire herd on a site is collared, this limited where we could use the technology.

That’s why we’re so grateful to The University of Essex, who generously provided 30 collars on a long-term loan.

This has allowed us to equip the full herd and continue using NoFence across all our sites.

With this support, we can now press ahead with rotational and targeted grazing and start tailoring individual grazing plans for each site.

A huge thank you to Dr Edward Codling for facilitating this collaboration – we’re so excited to continue working together on cutting edge research that enhances animal welfare, boosts conservation outcomes, and helps us better understand how cattle interact with the landscapes they manage.

By Lucy O’Reilly Conservation Grazing Officer

, Grazing sand dune environments keep vegetation levels naturally low © Dave Bartlett, Sefton Council

, Reaching for the tastiest morsels © Charlotte Sidey, Sefton Council

, Hard at work! © Dave Bartlett, Sefton Council

, A mobile app is used to create virtual fences (the white line) © Lucy O'Reilly

If these photos have inspired you to get out in the natural world and capture some wildlife shots, why not enter our competition? Explore this month’s theme and find out how to enter at lancswt.org.uk/ photo-comp

Get creative with our photography competition...

From the luscious colours of summer to wildlife close-ups, our photography competition has some wonderful monthly themes to highlight the very best wildlife across our region and inspire you to take your own photos on your wild adventures.

Take a look at some of our spring winners, who captured this season perfectly and won the hearts of our voters.

January

The theme for January’s photography competition was Winter Wildlife Wonders. Tracy Robinson took home first place with this fantastic blackbird photographed at Brockholes nature reserve. Voters loved this beautiful close-up of this blackbird as it enjoys a tasty berry. The contrast between the jet-black plumage and the bright red berries really captures your attention.

February

A mother’s love is truly a magical thing, and Zoe Hodkinson managed to capture this with her winning image. From the misty atmosphere of the early morning to the touching moment between the sheep and her lamb, this image captured February’s theme of Love in Nature perfectly. One of our voters said: “You can feel the love between the sheep and her lamb with a calm, peaceful background, as though their love for each other is the only thing that matters.”

March

March’s winner was Jimmy McGrory with his wonderful photograph of these striking cormorants. Taken at Seaforth nature reserve, our voters were really impressed with the composition of this image as it perfectly portrays the calming balance of nature. One voter loved that the image “captures what looks like a romance between the birds, bringing an emotional story to the picture”.

April

April’s winner was Steve Grice, whose photograph truly highlighted April’s theme of Wetlands and Waterways. This beautiful photograph captures the serenity of the early morning lake perfectly. Voters loved the way he caught the mist atop of the lake and how clear the reflection of the swan upon the surface of the water is.

If viewing these incredible images has inspired you to get out into the natural world and capture some wildlife shots, why not enter our competition? Take a look at this month’s theme and find out how to enter at lancswt.org.uk/photo-comp - your photo could be featured in our next wildlife calendar!

By A lice Wood Marketing Officer

Jimmy said:

“I'm a 13-year-old wildlife photographer based in Liverpool. This photo was taken at the main hide at Seaforth. One frosty morning before school we popped down to have a look at the birds. We entered the hide and found two cormorants on a perch in front of the hide ready to mate. This made for a great photo which captures the mood between the two birds.”

Zoe said:

“This photograph was taken at Warton Crag nature reserve. I managed to get quite close to these friendly sheep and used my Olympus OMD Mark III to capture the shot. I love getting out in nature as it's been great for my mental health. My journey started during lockdown just using my phone, which escalated to now having two cameras and doing weddings and events, as well as my landscape stuff – although I mostly prefer being out in the hills and fields and am very lucky that there are so many places near me to visit.”

Steve said:

“Thank you so much, winning the competition is a fantastic surprise. It will be an honour to feature in the calendar. This image was taken at Brockholes nature reserve at the beginning of April, during one of several sunrise visits I made. The perfect time for peace and to connect with nature.”

Love is in the air © Jimmy McGrory

A mothers love © Zoe Hodkinson

Blackbird © Tracy Robinson

All abuzz at Manchester ’ s Wildest Festival

The sun was shining, the crowds poured in, people were picnicking all around the site and everyone was having a fantastic time. The Manchester Festival of Nature 2025 was glorious.

The last Sunday in June is always highlighted in my calendar. It’s an exciting and special day that brings together nature lovers from right across Manchester and beyond.

The venue; Heaton Park, just next to the Stables Cafe. The aim of the day; to spread the word about all of the amazing work that is happening for nature in Manchester.

Everyone was there, from several Lancashire Wildlife Trust teams to happy and enthusiastic groups from loads of different local nature conservation organisations.

, Families poured into Heaton Park for this year's Manchester Festival of Nature

Pictures by Paul Heyes

"Each stall featured fun and hands-on activities, just ready to engage little minds and hopefully inspire the next David Attenborough."

By 11am

Wildlife Trusts events are a fun way to learn more about the nature in your area. Check out the What's On pages on our website

everyone was set up and ready to spend the next few hours sharing their love for nature, what their organisation is doing, and what people at home can do to help. Each stall featured fun and hands-on activities, just ready to engage little minds and hopefully inspire the next David Attenborough.

The whole site was like a beehive, buzzing with excitement as the families began to pour in. And then more arrived, in fact they never stopped arriving all day.

We believe we had more visitors to Manchester’s Wildest Festival than the first MFoN in 2019 and that was clocked at 7,000 by the park.

We certainly had more than that and I am certain we weren’t far off 10,000 people coming along to MFoN to learn about nature in Manchester, conservation and to have a good time.

Could you be our new Nature Recovery Trustee?

We are looking for an enthusiastic volunteer who is passionate about nature’s recovery to join our Board of Trustees.

The Trust has a vacancy on the Board for someone with the skills and knowledge in conservation to join us. This is a varied and exciting voluntary position with the opportunity for someone to use their skill set to help the Trust deliver its strategy and join this ambitious team to make a real difference to local wildlife in Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside.

Further details including a role profile and how to apply can be found on our website.

My colleague Rachel, Curator of Botany at Manchester Museum, said, at times, it must have been like working behind a bar in a pub at Christmas; “We were swamped!”

If smiles mean anything financially, the festival organisers would be very, very wealthy. This is a great opportunity to tell stories and impress present and future funders. >>>

"The whole site was like a beehive, buzzing with excitement as the families began to pour in."

, Dipping for ducks with the Canal and River Trust

More than 18 stalls provided activities including birding for beginners, leaf and flower crown making, familyfriendly gardening, hook a duck and making healthy duck food, a microgreens and sprouting workshop, plant pressing and investigating wild objects from the museum, and sphagnum squeezing.

There is nothing more pleasing than squeezing water from sphagnum moss, especially on such a warm and humid afternoon – and the kids (and some adults too!) were all eager to get their hands dirty.

There was a “grown on a bog” game, looking at how eDNA sampling works to find rare animals in their habitat, river invertebrate trays, pinning species on the river (instead of the tail on the donkey), and making bird feeders. And don't forget the bioblitz to seek out all the plants and wildlife in the park.

The Manchester Nature Consortium Youth Panel created a fantastic stall themed around sustainable clothing, with a free clothes swap, and decorating bunting using scrap materials.

"The parade was brilliant and loads of fun, giving us an opportunity to see all the stalls and their activities."

All this fun had a soundtrack provided by the Flat Cap Three, with some wonderful cover songs and a specially penned new piece, designed to accompany our now legendary Pollinator Parade.

As the Stables’ clock struck 1pm everyone gathered to parade around the festival site, dressed as their favourite pollinators including bees, butterflies and a bat (don’t forget they pollinate too!).

Following one of sponsor RRG Toyota’s electric cars, everyone danced and had a great time singing the Flat Cap Three’s new song with the chorus “I’m not an alligator, snap, snap, snap. I’m a pollinator, buzz, buzz, buzz.” It’s still stuck in my head.

, , Our youngest sphagnum squeezer © Kirsty Tyler

The Flat Three provided the music at MFoN

"It takes a lot of support both financially and in manpower to create Manchester’s Wildest Festival and we are always looking for more partners to get involved."

The parade was brilliant and loads of fun, giving us an opportunity to see all the stalls and their activities.

Don’t miss the next Manchester Festival of Nature. Contact Alan to get involved! awright@lancswt. org.uk

It takes a lot of support both financially and in manpower to create Manchester’s Wildest Festival and we are always looking for more partners to get involved.

This year’s Manchester Festival of Nature was supported by: Action for Conservation, Canal and River Trust, City of Trees, Communitree Outdoor Education, Groundwork Greater Manchester, Lancashire Wildlife Trust’s Peat Team, Urban Nature Team & Youth Council, Manchester City Council, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester Museum, Mersey Rivers Trust, National Trust Lime Park, RSPB, The Conservation Volunteers, United Utilities, Vegan Organic Network, Wigan Swifts and Woodland Trust

By the end of the day my phone told me that I had clocked 14 miles walking but my heart was telling me that I had been part of an outstanding day, and a few thousand more people realise that nature in Manchester is in safe hands – but we still need more people to support our work and the work of our MFoN partners.

If you are interested in helping MFoN with funding or getting involved at MFoN26, then please get in touch as soon as possible.

This is a fabulous way to show your green credentials in Manchester.

By Alan Wright Manchester Nature Consortium Chair

Huge thanks to Rachel from Manchester Museum, Roshni from RSPB, Alice from Action for Conservation and Sarah from the Woodland Trust for being invaluable members of the organising committee, and not forgetting our event supremo Ben from Walk the Plank.

This year’s Manchester Festival of Nature was made possible thanks to funding from RRG Toyota and Parklife Foundation.

6 places to see

Meet our president and chair

As CEO of Lancashire Wildlife Trust, you might think that the buck stops with me, but we have a whole team of amazing volunteers who form our Trustee Council and help to shape the direction and decisions of the Trust.

Recently I went to Brockholes to meet David, Lord Alton of Liverpool, who is our new President and Chris Davies, the Chair of our Trustees, to talk about their roles in the Trust and what had inspired them to get involved.

What interested you in becoming involved in Lancashire Wildlife Trust?

David

I’m a big admirer of the work of the Trust. I live in the Ribble Valley and have served as an MP and on the city council in Liverpool. Bringing up my children and now grandchildren here has underlined to me the importance of preserving our wildlife, so I am keen to do anything that I can to support that.

Chris I was a member of the European Parliament's Environment Committee for more than 15 years, talking about pollution, climate issues and how to halt and reverse the decline in biodiversity. From there I wanted to be involved in an organisation that’s trying to do that on the ground and in my own area.

What inspired your love of wildlife?

David

I was born in a slum clearance area in the East End of London, and as an inner-city teacher saw the consequences of children not having access to the countryside. I was very fortunate that my mother had been brought up on a farm in Ireland, and she gave me a love of nature which I have tried to pass on to my own children and grandchildren.

Chris

We live in an infinitely vast universe, and we celebrate whenever we think we’ve found something else out there that can support life. But until we can prove that this planet is the only place in the entire universe which supports life, should we not celebrate and love every species that exists?

Can you tell me what your roles as Chair/ President involves?

David

I’m here to encourage, support and be an ambassador for Lancashire Wildlife Trust, especially with people who may not know this part of the world and all the beauty it holds.

Chris

We have a very enthusiastic Chief Executive and team of staff here at the Trust, and my role is sometimes to encourage them, and sometimes to guide them. I also try and be a voice for our amazing volunteers, of which I am one!

"Bringing up my children and now grandchildren here has underlined to me the importance of preserving our wildlife, so I am keen to do anything that I can to support that."

, David and Chris at Brockholes © Jenny Bennion

Have you got a favourite nature moment?

David

Recently I was with my four year old grandson and he nearly jumped out of his skin with excitement when he saw an owl coming out of the owl box that we had put up in our garden. That brought home to me the importance of what we can all do in seemingly small deeds.

Chris

I was here at Brockholes for a council meeting, and as we came out we were treated to the most fantastic starling murmuration that just went on and on.

Thousands upon thousands of birds, performing before our eyes in the most spectacular fashion, forcing us to retreat and pull on coats and hoods because the sheer amount of poo falling from the sky!

"Recently I was with my four year old

grandson and he nearly jumped out of his skin with excitement when he saw an owl coming out of the owl box that

we had put up in our garden. That brought home to me the importance of what we can all do in seemingly small deeds."

Have you got a proudest career achievement?

David

At the start of my career, I was a teacher working with children with special educational needs, and then I was a professor at Liverpool John Moores University.

But the defining moment for me was being elected as an MP in Liverpool from 1979 to 1997, when I then moved into the House of Lords. Throughout my career my aim has been to effect positive change.

Chris

As an MEP I introduced the legislation that led to health warnings on cigarette packs being strengthened by the use of rather horrible pictures. I also tabled the proposal for a new funding mechanism to support low carbon technologies that is now the basis for the EU Innovation Fund, worth €20 billion.

My final role before Brexit was to serve as chair of the Parliament’s Fisheries Committee, not a position that might have been expected of an MEP who had a reputation as a campaigner for sustainable fisheries policies –sometimes dressing as a fish to help make my point!

By Tom Burditt CEO

, Chris, David and Tom enjoying Brockholes © Jenny Bennion

, Chris campaigning for sustainable fisheries © PA Images Alamy Stock Photo

Locking antlers for love...

Whilst we aren’t ready to rush summer away, one of things we do look forward to from mid-July into early autumn is roe deer rutting season.

Roe deer are beloved icons of the British countryside. Elegant and beautiful, they have long been celebrated in folklore, literature and art.

Whilst widespread across the UK thanks to their ability to adapt to various habitats, sighting a roe deer on your outdoor adventures still feels rare and magical. We are particularly lucky in the North West to have a rich mixture of woodland, farmland, grassland and heathland for roe deer to call home. Some of the most popular viewing spots on our reserves are at Longworth Clough, Heysham, Mere Sands Wood and Brockholes nature reserves.

If you have visited any of our nature reserves this year, you may have seen one or two roe deer prancing about on their own. This is because they tend to be solitary in the summer months and, as curious as they are, they are also cautious of us human folk, so it can be difficult to identify a buck from a doe on a fleeting glimpse.

A good clue is that the white patch on the rump of a female roe deer is shaped like an inverted heart, whereas a male’s white patch is shaped like a kidney bean. By now, bucks will also be showing their antlers, having shed the velvet coating in spring, but they can still be difficult to spot when bounding off into the trees at speed. That, plus an abundance of foliage to camouflage themselves in means that roe deer can prove elusive to observe or photograph.

"Whilst wearing a rich reddishbrown coat in the summer, roe deer become darker grey towards the winter months."

Roe buck with his velvet antlers in spring © Jon Hawkins - Surrey Hills Photography

"Roe deer are most active at dawn and dusk, so a summer evening is a perfect time to witness the majesty of roe deer courtship"

However, as spring rolls on and the seasons think about changing, roe deer begin a transformation of their own. Whilst wearing a rich reddish-brown coat in the summer, roe deer become darker grey towards the winter months.

Did you know?

Roe deer have been recorded running at up to 37 miles per hour.

They also swap their solo summer behaviour to band together to form small groups for the rutting, or mating, season which starts in mid-July.

By this time, the antlers of the buck have fully emerged in a spectacular display of strength and dominance, ready to compete for females. Taking their cue from the summer heat, males become hot and bothered, and fiercely territorial. They scentmark their territory and clash ferociously with other bucks, locking antlers for love.

A particularly entertaining part of rutting season is the chasing behaviour of the courtship between bucks and does. The male chases the female around trees in ‘roe rings’.

Upon successful chasing, clashing and rutting, the female then delays implantation of the fertilised eggs until the following year before giving birth to her fawns in May or June.

She will have between one and three fawns, who will follow in the same hoofprints as their mother in a deer dance for a mate once they are grown.

Being crepuscular, roe deer are most active at dawn and dusk, so a summer evening is a perfect time to witness the majesty of roe deer courtship as the sun dips on a balmy day.

But if you’re out and about in October as autumn has settled in, watch out for bucks in the process of shedding their antlers before growing, or ‘casting’, a new set in November, ready to repeat the cycle of life all over again.

To see the rutting behaviour of our native roe deer is to see them at their peak social activity in a primal ritual, so please observe these beloved creatures from a distance, and with respect, so as not to disturb them.

It’s a fascinating insight into the wild world, and a unique wildlife experience to add to your list of favourite nature moments.

By Amy Shakeshaft Campaigns & Communications Assistant

, Leaping into rutting season © Mark Hamblin2020VISION

, Roe deer, Boilton Woods © Laura Cronin

, Jumping roe deer at Brockholes © Dave Bennion

Out for Nature

Loving nature and caring about the future of our natural world is something that so many people share, regardless of their background, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

The LGBTQ+ community comes together each June to celebrate Pride Month, and as the green stripe in the Pride flag represents nature, we thought it only fitting to celebrate some of the incredible queer people making waves in conservation and ecology.

Dr Izzy Bishop (She/They)

Dr Izzy Bishop is a queer scientist who specialises in freshwater conservation. Her research works to understand the quality of freshwater ecosystems across the globe and she has a strong research interest in freshwater conservation and the ways in which local communities contribute towards water resource management.

Additionally, they have led a global citizen science project, Freshwater Watch, monitoring and protecting the health of rivers, lakes, streams, ponds and wetlands.

Dr Bishop teaches MSc Ecology at UCL, and a recent project of theirs is even teaching her students to communicate science using stand-up comedy techniques.

They’ve also played lacrosse for Wales.

Pattie

Gonia (Wyn Wiley) (She/He/They)

An American environmental activist who campaigns about climate change and encourages LGBTQ+ people to get into the great outdoors, they are often found in full drag and sky-high heels despite the rugged terrain on the trails.

Don’t let the glamourous facade fool you however, she is a well-respected activist, having visited the White House, recorded with renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma on a music single about climate change, and delivered a recent TED Talk about ‘finding the joy’ - putting that into action by bringing people together in real life at their environmental drag shows.

They’ve recently taken part in a huge protest campaigning for trans rights by erecting the biggest trans pride flag to ever be flown in a US national park on the face of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.

"We’re proud to be supporting a local grassroots organisation, Transpiration Wellbeing, to provide a safe space for transgender and non-binary people to connect with nature for their wellbeing this year."

Born in London in 1911, but raised in Scotland, Mackenzie was a botanist, working at the British Museum in charge of the Lichen Herbarium, and during the Second World War participated in covert Antarctic expeditions where she collected many new-to-science species of lichen.

Elke was highly respected within her field but in the 1960s increasingly suffered from mental health issues. In 1971 she was diagnosed with gender dysphoria and transitioned, starting then to introduce herself as Elke Mackenzie (previously known as I.M Lamb within the field of botany).

Elke MacKenzie

Unfortunately, the academic world at the time was not very understanding and, according to a friend, she was forced to leave her work as the Director of the Farlow Herbarium at Harvard University, taking early retirement.

Elke began to lose interest in the field of botany later in life and while most of her published articles appeared in her previous name, one of her final papers included an acknowledgment of herself, with thanks to ‘Miss Elke Mackenzie for technical and bibliographic assistance in the preparation of this paper’.

Dan O’Neill (He/Him)

Dan is a wildlife filmmaker and presenter who you may have seen on BBC’s Snow Leopards: Ghosts in the Snow.

He is an experienced field biologist and explorer who specialises in remote and challenging environments, and camera trap technology.

Dan’s show Giants, in which he circled the globe in search of the greatest beasts to have roamed the planet marked the first time in history that an openly LGBT wildlife presenter hosted a series for a major network.

Dan continues to be a passionate advocate for increased LGBT representation in STEM, natural history media and adventure.

We are proud to be supporting a local grassroots organisation, Transpiration Wellbeing, to provide a safe space for transgender and non-binary people to connect with nature for their wellbeing this year.

From this project, to our work with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups at The Greenhouse Project, to our work with people from low-income backgrounds in our new Championing Nature programme in Wythenshawe, we want to make sure that everyone is welcome in nature, because... Nature is for everyone.

By Kirsty Tyler Nature & Wellbeing Communications Officer

,OnlFilm-maker Dan O'Neill on location

, Out for Nature is The Wildlife Trust's LGBTQ+ support network, and can be seen here at Manchester Pride 2024

, Elke Mackenzie has two genera named after her birth name - Lambia and Lambiella, as well as several species, and two locations in Antarctica

The secret life of slow worms

Annabelle

Brittle,

Communications Officer for the Greater Manchester Environment Trust (GMET), takes a closer look at one of our most elusive native reptiles, and discovers why they are a great addition to our gardens...

Ask any gardener what the best slug deterrent is, and you’ll get answers ranging from beer traps and eggshells, to copper tape and salt circles. But if you look under a mossy log or beneath a compost heap, there’s a chance you might find an even better candidate, the slow worm - nature’s very own pest patrol.

I’ve only seen them once in my life, when I was pottering around with my Nan in her garden. I must have been around seven years old, and I vividly remember seeing a cluster of these metallic-looking creatures writhing around underneath her compost bin. I initially mistook them for snakes, but my Nan informed me that they were slow worms.

Contrary to the name, they're neither worms nor particularly slow. They're also not snakes, despite their serpentine appearance. They are Britain’s only legless lizard, and they play an important ecological role in our environment, but they’re often overlooked when it comes to celebrating UK fauna. However, their penchant for gobbling up pesky invertebrates means they should be considered a welcome visitor to our gardens.

You’ll be lucky to see one though: they spend much of their time hidden away underground, and their smooth, shiny scales gives them a subtle sheen which helps them blend perfectly into leafy undergrowth and grassy edges. In fact, of all the 103 community green space projects across Greater Manchester that have been funded by the GMET’s Green Spaces Fund, when asked, not one of them had seen a slow worm – but that doesn’t mean they’re not there...

If you do manage to spot a slow worm, they vary in colour from bronze and brown to lighter grey. The males tend to look a little plainer than the females, who boast darker colouring and a distinctive stripe that runs down their backs. Juveniles are particularly striking, with golden or silvery bodies and dark markings.

In thriving green spaces, slow worms are a gardener’s best friend. Their diet is mostly made up of slugs and snails, meaning they provide natural pest control without the need for harmful chemicals.

If you’d like to encourage them into your garden or allotment, they favour places that offer both cover and warmth, such as compost heaps, mounds of grass clippings or leaves, log piles, and undisturbed corners. Avoid using slug pellets too, so they can munch on their favourite snacks safely.

Slow

Slow worms are sometimes known as blindworms, deaf adders, steelworms and hazelworms.

worms are considered an indicator species, meaning that their presence is a sign of a healthy habitat, that offers sufficient cover, food, and conditions for reptiles to thrive. So, if you are lucky enough to spot one of these slippery characters, there’s a good chance that your green space is a haven of biodiversity.

So, the next time you turn your compost, take a peek - you might just catch a glimpse of one of nature’s most understated gardeners working alongside you.

By Annabelle Brittle GMET Communications Officer

In memory of Gil Hill

We were deeply saddened to say goodbye to Gil Hill, who volunteered for the Lancashire Wildlife Trust for over 25 years. Gil was a red squirrel ambassador and enthusiast, was one of the first members of the Formby and Southport Red Alert Group and even earned an unsung hero award from King Charles as patron of the Red Squirrel Survival Trust.

Gil worked tirelessly for our reds, she was secretary for Red Alert, carried out a monitoring transect - adding to the longest red squirrel monitoring data set in the country, ran and attended education and awareness events, fundraised, and spearheaded a trap loan scheme in her area.

Gil did everything with an encouraging word and a smile on her face and would always cheer the room up with a funny little quip. We were lucky to know her and call her our friend, and we will be hard pressed to find a more deserving red squirrel hero.

Melodic May Day music

Scutchers Acres is filled with bird song every day, but on May Day you would have heard some very different music...

Back in November, a somewhat odd and unexpected email appeared in my inbox from our CEO, Tom Burditt. It described a section of Scutchers Acres nature reserve in Burscough called Trumpeting Wood, so named because a Polish trumpeter used to practice there to escape the ‘no loud music practice’ rules of his accommodation back in the 1990s.

Tom then had the idea of bringing music back to this special place, which John Watt, who owns the reserve, was keen on, being a bassoonist himself. Tom and I are both brass players, keeping the brass band tradition alive in the North West by playing bass trombone and euphonium respectively with Burneside Brass and Lancaster City Brass bands.

"I’d

May Day was settled on as a date, and we were treated to a lovely warm spring day, with plenty of birds chattering in the tall conifers above our heads. I’d never been to Scutchers Acres before and was just blown away by how serene it was as we walked in to Trumpeting Wood, with a stream trickling away to our right, and fuzzy bumblebees and hoverflies milling about in the flowers on either side of the path.

John Watt did an excellent job pulling together music for the day that would suit our mix of instruments, and we started with a true Lancashire piece of music - the theme from Aardman Animation’s Wallace and Gromit. You can’t hear that piece of music without feeling joyful, and it was the perfect start to our afternoon.

never been to Scutchers Acres before and was just blown away by how serene it was as we walked in to Trumpeting Wood, with a stream trickling away to our right, and fuzzy bumblebees and hoverflies milling about in the flowers"

With the addition of Rhoda Wilkinson, our Head of Community Engagement on flute, and Carrie House, our Wigan Greenheart Community Organising Officer on baritone horn, we had the perfect quintet ready to make this lovely idea a reality.

We then moved to some more traditional music, playing Ralph Vaughan William’s English Folk Suite, with a lovely flute solo from Rhoda, before finishing with the famous theme tune from Dambusters – only two weeks ahead of the 82nd anniversary of the Dambusters raid.

Delightfully, the wildlife didn’t pay us any attention, and as Tom said afterwards, “I’ve never played underneath a goldcrest chorus before.” Scutcher’s Acres is a really special place, and part of that magic is the passion that John has for his patch.

It’s this passion which has led him to gifting us the land in his will so that it can be looked after with just as much care in the future, and we’re already managing the site alongside John.

A gift in your will is a simple yet powerful way to keep your wishes alive.

After you’ve remembered your friends and family, your gift can help to fund work that will restore habitat and breeding sites for many endangered species and give future generations the same opportunities to make their own journey of discovery into the natural world.

Any amount you choose to leave as a gift in your will, no matter how big or small, will make a huge difference to the wildlife that holds a special place in your memories and will ensure your love of nature lives on.

By Kirsty Tyler Nature & Wellbeing Communications Officer

Businesses acting for wildlife

Our corporate members and partners are passionate about nature but working with LWT also helps with their sustainability goals.

Evans Vanodine and Lancashire Wildlife Trust join forces.

Evans Vanodine recently welcomed the Lancashire Wildlife Trust to their site in Preston for an in-depth survey aimed at enhancing the company’s outdoor spaces, all with the aim of better supporting local wildlife. The visit marked a key step in the partnership that is designed to align business operations with environmental stewardship.

As part of the Trust’s wider engagement with our business members, tailored recommendations were provided to help the manufacturing company's team create more wildlife friendly habitats on their premises.

From boosting species diversity, to creating thriving ecosystems, the initiatives are designed to benefit both biodiversity and long-term sustainability, and the spaces will be available for their employees to explore and enjoy the benefits green space brings to their place of work.

“We’re excited to see how these changes will not only support the local ecosystem but also contribute to a more sustainable future for all. Together we can make a real difference.”

Evans Vanodine is equally enthusiastic about the collaboration:

“It was great to have Lancashire Wildlife Trust visiting with us and our Environment and Sustainability Manager Vikki Morris this week,” said the company: “We’re always looking at ways we can improve our local ecosystem, and working as a corporate partner with the Trust is the next step on this journey.”

A shared commitment to nature is now taking root — right outside their door.

Corporate teams lend a hand for wildlife

This spring staff from Siemens Energy, Barclays and APEM swapped their desks for wellies to take part in one of our Welly Workout days.

Teams joined our conservation officers out on our reserves to carry out essential habitat work, everything from scrub clearance to sphagnum moss planting, their efforts directly supporting local biodiversity and improving our vital spaces.

Employee volunteering days are a brilliant way for businesses to give back to nature, while team members gain fresh air, hands-on conservation experience, and a deeper connection to the environment. A big thank you to all who got stuck in for wildlife!

“We’re excited to see how these changes will not only support the local ecosystem but also contribute to a more sustainable future for all. Together we can make a real difference.”

, Reserve Officer, John Haddon, and Evans Vanodine Environment and Sustainability Manager, Vikki Morris, at a recent site visit © Matt Stewart

Would your team love a Welly Workout? Get in touch at business@lancswt. org.uk to book yours today!

Championing nature-based business at Ecosystems Knowledge Network event

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust’s Partnerships Team recently spoke at the Ecosystems Knowledge Network event in Liverpool, presenting on How to Optimise Your Business Response on Environment and Climate. Designed for businesses in the North West, the event explored how companies can find real value in supporting natural environment projects.

The Trust presented a range of opportunities for businesses to engage with and support local nature recovery, highlighting how partnerships can benefit both wildlife and corporate sustainability goals.

Joined by fellow speakers from Hub2030, Mersey Forest, Nature North and Liverpool John Moores University, our team showcased the efforts of our wonderful collective of business partners, and the projects they have enhanced with their support.

This event marked another step in connecting the business community with the region’s thriving natural networks, proving that investing in nature is not just good for the planet, but for people and business too.

By Matthew Stewart Partnerships Officer

GOLD

– Beechfields Brands

– Close Brothers

– Eric Wright Group

– Evans Vanodine

– Gresham Office Furniture

– Glasdon

– Little Green Feet – JBI Ltd

– Mace

– OroSurgeon Ltd

– Places for People

– Planet Shine

– Senator Group

– Siemens

– Standby Productions

– VP plc

– Victrex

SILVER

– Decordia Ltd

– Dock10

– Fort Vale Engineering Ltd

– Making Energy Greener

– MJ Wilkinson Plant Hire

– Southport FC

BRONZE

– Aspire to Grow

– Cavendish Nuclear

– Glasdon Group Ltd

– Ibis Manchester Princess Street

– Stowe Family Law

– Valley Mist

– Weinerberger

LOCAL BUSINESS MEMBERS

– Hoofs & Paws

– Moss Wood Caravan Park

– Warton Parish Council

– Wild Woolers

– Worthington Sharpe Ltd

Also special thanks to other businesses that have generated income, taken part in Welly Workouts or given in kind materials and help to projects this last quarter: Siemens, Wildlife Travel, Morgan Sindell Construction, Eric Wright Constuction, VercoGlobal, Laing.

At Lancashire Wildlife Trust we believe that business charity partnerships should be mutually beneficial and based on shared values. Our partnerships are bespoke not “one size fits all” packages. It’s important to us that we get things right at the start to make sustainable long-term relationships.

We believe that your company can benefit greatly from a partnership with Lancashire Wildlife Trust as we help your business and your staff to connect more with nature and thrive from the health and well being that happens from connecting with their outdoor environment.

LWT news

There’s always so much going on

at your Wildlife Trust

– here's just a few of the things we’ve been up to recently...

The Bay

Our Bay Nature & Wellbeing group has planted over 1,760 trees across Wyre as part of three different planting projects this year. These new trees will enhance biodiversity, sequester carbon, and provide green spaces for community engagement and wellbeing.

Roundway Microwood in Fleetwood was the largest project, funded by Defra and delivered by Lancashire County Council.

LWT Livestock

It’s been a busy time for our amazing conservation grazing livestock.

Our flock of Hebridean sheep had another successful lambing season with 18 lambs being born to 13 mothers. When they’re mature, they will graze happily across multiple nature reserves to help manage our habitats. And whilst snapped snoozing in this photo, they are normally full of energy with a spring in their step.

After spending winter on the Ainsdale sand dunes, helping to keep invasive vegetation in check, our rare breed English longhorn cattle are back and ready to help naturally manage the habitat across lots of our nature reserves. Keep an eye out for them at Brockholes, Cutacre, Lightshaw Meadows, Freeman’s Pasture and Freshfield Dune Heath.

We are also delighted to say that the herd has now been increased thanks to your generous donations to our recent Big Give appeal – raising an amazing £12,582! The money has allowed us to buy more cattle and install more of the infrastructure needed

Edna the bulrush harvester

Meet Edna, an old apple harvester that has had the ‘Scrapheap Challenge’ treatment, to turn it into a one of a kind bulrush harvester.

Thanks to funding from the Environmental Agency’s Lowland Agricultural Peat Water Discovery Pilot scheme, as part of our bulrush wetter farming trial at Gore House Farm in West Lancashire, Edna will be put to use harvesting bulrushes from a re-wetted peatland field, ready for the fluffy seed heads to be turned into a sustainable filling for padded jackets.

Search ‘ bulrush wetter farming’ on our website to find out more.

Annual General Meeting

13.30 to 14:00 Saturday 11 October 2025

Darwen Academy

Sudell Road, Darwen, BB3 3HD

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust Ltd. Charity Number 229325 - Company Number 731548

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of The Lancashire Wildlife Trust Ltd will begin at 13.30 with all members welcome. Booking information will be provided via email nearer the time.

Elections

The Trust Council is the governing body of the Trust. It consists of 17 members (‘Trustees’) elected at the AGM on a three-year cycle.

Any member is eligible to stand as a Member of Council. Nominations, addressed to the Company Secretary, should be sent by Friday 5 September 2025.

Nominations should include the name and address of the nominee and confirmation of their willingness to stand, together with the names of both proposer and seconder, all of whom should be Trust members.

Members are entitled to a proxy vote at the AGM. See below regarding proxy voting.

The Trust has been working to reduce printed materials to reduce our environmental impact and increase the money we spend on conservation. Therefore, this year’s annual report and minutes for the 2024 AGM will be posted on our website nearer the time.

Should any Member wish to have a written copy in advance of the meeting please contact Monica Atherton Patel, Company Secretary, at: The Barn, Berkeley Drive, Bamber Bridge, Preston PR5 6BY or telephone 01772 317242 or via email mathertonpatel@lancswt.org.uk

Proxy Voting

AGM AGENDA

13:25 - Arrival

13:30 - Annual General Meeting of The Lancashire Wildlife Trust Ltd

1. Apologies for Absence

2. Approval of Minutes of AGM held on Thursday 21 November 2024

3. Matters arising from the Minutes

4. General Business:

a. Presentation of Accounts for 2024/2025

b. Auditor’s Report and Appointment

c. Financial Outlook

d. Report by Chair of Council

e. Appointment to honorary positions

f. Elections and Resignations to Council

14:00 - Finish

Any additional items, relevant to the Annual General Meeting, should be notified to the Company Secretary, by email or post, by 4pm on Friday 5 September 2025.

Pursuant to the Companies Act, Members are entitled to attend general meetings either personally or by proxy. Proxy votes must be completed with the information on the form below and returned to the Company Secretary by email or by post to our registered office:

Lancashire Wildlife Trust Ltd

Charity Number 229325 - Company Number 731548

Registered Address: The Barn, Berkeley Drive, Bamber Bridge, Preston PR5 6BY

I/We........................................................................................being a member of the above-named company hereby appoint ........................................................................................ of ....................................................................................... or failing them ........................................................................................ of ........................................................................... as my/[our] proxy at the general meeting of the company to be held on Saturday 11 October and at any adjournment thereof.

Their email address is.................................................................................................

Signature(s) of Member(s)..........................................................................................

Print Name(s) of Member(s)........................................................................................

Membership number(s)...............................................................................................

What’s on this summer

Get ready to make the most of the great outdoors with a season packed full of exciting events.

Whether you're a wildlife enthusiast, a history buff, or just looking for a fun family day out, we’ve got something for everyone. Discover the wild beauty of our nature reserves and dive into experiences you won’t forget.

Explore on one of our guided walks

Step into the wonders of nature on one of our expert-led guided walks. Discover scenic trails, encounter local wildlife, and uncover hidden gems across our region. Walks this summer include pram walks, wildflower trails and reserve tours, each one offering a unique way to connect with nature.

Discover the wonders of The Fylde Coast

The Fylde Sand Dunes Project invites you to explore the incredible coastal habitat of the Fylde Coast without leaving a footprint. Enjoy beach art, rock pooling, wildflower guided walks and loads more activities designed to showcase the area's rare and beautiful wildlife.

Step into Lancashire’s past

Journey back in time on our Lancashire Local History Walk at Brockholes. Learn about the tales of the Lancashire witches, Cromwell’s visit to the area and other fascinating local legends on this guided storytelling experience.

Wander through our Artisan Markets

Join us at one of our Brockholes Artisan Markets, hosted on our oneof-a-kind floating Visitor Village. Browse unique stalls from talented local makers, sample delicious treats and enjoy a relaxed day surrounded by natural beauty. With accessible walking paths and plenty of wildlife to spot, it’s a perfect day out for everyone.

Experience the magic of bats in the night sky

Discover the nocturnal world of bats with Brockholes Reserve Officer Lorna on one of our ever-popular Bat Walks. Use high-tech bat detectors and see these incredible creatures in action. These walks fill up quickly, so be sure to reserve your spot early.

Don’t miss out - visit

Inspire young nature lovers with Nature Tots

Spark a love for the outdoors in your little explorers through our Nature Tots sessions, led by our Education Team. These fun and engaging activities run at Brockholes and Lunt Meadows and introduce toddlers to the wonders of wildlife through natural play and discovery.

Discover Lunt Meadows

It's a fun-packed summer at Lunt Meadows, with events for all family members. Little ones can enjoy a teddy bear’s picnic, while all ages are welcome at our barn owl meet and greets. If you're interested in natural skills, check out our stone-age and bushcraft workshops, or join the team for a Forest School Family Fun Day session. Dogs are also welcome at our Dogfest celebration.