Greater Manchester’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) will act as a roadmap for how we tackle the biodiversity emergency and improve access to nature across the city-region over the next decade. A key part of this strategy is to set out how we can help nature recover by identifying priorities for different habitats. In this blog series, we want to introduce some of our draft priorities for the GM LNRS.
The priorities in the LNRS are essentially the long-term outcomes that we all need to work towards for both habitats and species. Delivering on these priorities will help nature recover. The draft habitat priorities developed for the strategy are intended to benefit many local species, while also delivering wider social and economic benefits – such as better access to nature and reduced flood risk.
Our draft GM LNRS (due to be published later this year) sets out priorities for the following habitats:
- Urban green spaces and buildings
- Woodlands, trees, scrub and hedgerows
- Rivers, canals and waterbodies
- Lowland mosslands and wetlands
- Grassland, farmland and lowland heath
- Upland moorlands
We will be asking for feedback on these draft priorities during our public consultation later this year.
Our urban green spaces and buildings
Our first habitat priorities blog focuses on the urban green spaces and buildings that make up nearly 50% of the Greater Manchester city region. These include spaces such as parks, gardens, allotments, playing fields, golf courses and many more – all of which provide essential green spaces for people and refuges for wildlife.
There is huge potential to make our urban areas greener and more wildlife friendly. We’ve already seen this happen in inspirational projects like Castlefield Viaduct in Manchester, Northern Roots in Oldham, the Eden Building in Salford and Stockport interchange.
The benefits of urban green spaces are wide-ranging. As well as providing refuges for wildlife, access to urban green spaces can improve our health and well-being and create healthy places to live and work. They also play a role in improving climate adaptation across the city region by shaping places that better manage extreme weather.
Setting out clear priorities for nature recovery across all our urban spaces will help communicate how we can all take action to enhance these spaces for nature and people.
Draft nature recovery priorities for urban green spaces and buildings
The GM LNRS outlines the following draft priorities for urban green spaces and buildings:
- More schools, hospitals, public, commercial and community buildings have nature-rich accessible spaces, better for wildlife and people
- Better parks and open spaces, enhanced and managed to be nature-rich and climate-adapted, with a range of habitats for wildlife supported by local communities
- More streets, roads, pedestrian and cycle routes are greener and tree-lined, acting as corridors for nature and adapted to climate change
- Town and city regeneration and development driving new and enhanced nature-rich green space creation, building more biodiverse, accessible and climate-adapted places
- More nature-friendly and climate-adapted gardens, balconies, yards and driveways
- More community-led creation of new nature-rich green spaces and increased opportunities for local food growing
These priorities will help guide nature recovery in urban areas, supporting urban species such as hedgehogs, foxes and robins.
Taking action on these priorities
Each priority is accompanied by several practical actions that will positively contribute towards delivering these priorities. Everyone can play a role in taking action to deliver on these priorities, even the smallest actions can add up to make space for nature to thrive.
Examples of actions to support urban green spaces and buildings priorities:
- Installing homes for wildlife and reducing barriers to species movements
- Plant gardens, yards and balconies that support local wildlife
- Creating new community-led green spaces in our least green areas
Hear more about our priorities
We want to make sure our plan for nature reflects the views of residents and businesses right across Greater Manchester, from city and town dwellers to those living in rural areas.
Keep an eye out for upcoming blogs on priorities for all our habitats across Greater Manchester and sign up for our GM Green City Newsletter to stay updated about our upcoming public consultation.
Please note that the priorities and practical actions outlined in this blog are draft versions and may change following our public consultation.
Find out more about our plan for nature recovery
Greater Manchester is currently developing its Local Nature Recovery Strategy, which will set out a blueprint for a more liveable city-region, with fairer access to green space for all.
Find out more including ways to get involved on our nature recovery webpage.
