A big thank you to the thousands of people who have helped us plant trees in Merseyside and North Cheshire this winter and spring.

Over 6500 people took part in community tree-planting schemes funded by the Big Tree Plant and Woodland Trust between October 2012 and April 2013.

The schemes included free tree schemes, community orchards, street trees, and the renovation of residential communal land, church grounds, school grounds and sports grounds, in addition to a Jubilee Trees scheme in honour of Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee.

Everyone from school children to local residents mucked in to make their local areas greener, planting over 20,000 trees including fruit trees and hedgerow trees.

Paul Nolan, director of The Mersey Forest, said: "Thanks to the help we've been given by the local community and the funding from Big Tree Plant and Woodland Trust, we've been able to plant over 20,000 trees this winter and spring. 

"This impressive figure, coupled with our other tree-planting schemes, brings us closer to achieving our long term goal of increasing tree cover in Merseyside and North Cheshire by 20%." 

The Big Tree Plant is a Defra campaign to encourage people and communities to plant more trees in England's towns, cities and neighbourhoods. The Woodland Trust also contributed funding through their Morewoods Project.

Read more...

Glazebury residents braved the snow and icy conditions last weekend to kick start the development of a new play area made from natural materials.

With help from The Mersey Forest Team, local volunteers helped to plant the very first trees on the site, forming a hedgerow and the beginnings of a community orchard.

The natural play area will feature climbing and seating areas made from boulders and logs, winding paths, willow domes and den-building areas, and wildlife-friendly hedges, trees and wildflowers.

The site is set to be used to host events and task days for families, including vegetable growing.

The natural play area off Warrington Road is being created on land leased to Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council by Bents Garden Centre. The first phase of the work is being funded through the Parish Council, Cory Environmental Trust in Britain through the Landfill Communities Fund and national Big Tree Plant funding through The Mersey Forest. It is also being supported by Stronger Together Neighbourhoods in Warrington.

Angela Haymonds from Cory Environmental Trust in Britain said: "We're very pleased to be involved with a project that will give children in Glazebury the opportunity to access the benefits of natural play."

Cllr Angela Duncombe said: "It was great to be involved in the first stages of creating a new natural community play area for our village.

"Residents have been involved with the design of the site and will continue to be involved with the creation and ongoing management of the play area.

"On the planting day, even the children were demonstrating the ethos of our natural play area by building snow men on the site!"

Read more...

If you know someone who'd be interested in having their say on our draft long-term Forest Plan, but who doesn't use the internet, they can now read a printed version of the Plan in local libraries.

Printed copies of the draft Plan are available in libraries in Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St.Helens, Warrington and northern areas of Cheshire West and Chester (call 01925 816217 for further details).

The libraries are also stocked with our Freepost postcards so that taking part in the consultation doesn't even cost the price of a stamp.
 

Read more...

People in Merseyside are being encouraged to nominate their green heros for the Liverpool Echo's Environment Awards. 

With environmental issues rising on the national and international agenda, the purpose of the awards is to recognise the individuals and organisations that are making a difference in Merseyside. 

If you know a person, community group or organisation who you think warrants green recognition, download an entry form.

The Mersey Forest is set to sponsor the Corporate Responsibility category this year for the third year running. 

The deadline for nominations is on 22 March 2013. The shortlist will be announced in April, with an awards ceremony held on 16 May. 

Read more...

 The first of more than a thousand trees has been planted in Birkenhead, as part of a project to enhance the transport links connecting local neighbourhoods to the Wirral Waters regeneration area.

Project funders Forestry Commission, BIS and Merseytravel joined Peel Holdings, Wirral BC and The Mersey Forest team to plant a Chinese Ginkgo tree at Ilchester Park to mark the beginning of the Wirral Green Streets project, with a community launch event to follow later this year.

.

Read more...

Over the last 20 years our partnership has planted 9 million trees, from creating entire new woodlands to planting thousands of street trees. Two thirds of local residents say their local environment has improved thanks to our work. 

Now, we'd love to hear your views as we refresh The Mersey Forest's long-term plan for the decades ahead. 

You can read the draft, view an interactive map of the area, and send us your comments on The Mersey Forest plan webpage.

Many thanks in advance for taking the time to respond. We really appreciate your comments, which will make the Plan stronger, and help to achieve the Vision. 

Read more...

The government has set out its new approach to forestry and woodlands today, with the release of its official response to the Independent Panel on Forestry's Final Report.

Following the controversy surrounding plans for England's public woodlands and forests in 2010, the Independent Panel on Forestry was established to advise the government on the direction of public forestry policy, delivering its final report last summer.

Paul Nolan, Director of The Mersey Forest, said: "We welcome today's announcement – in particular the government's recognition of the benefits of a partnership approach and the importance of Community Forests in supporting and promoting community action on trees and woodlands."

Other key points from the government's response include:

• The government has acknowledged the importance of the Panel's report and "shares its vision for the future of our forests."

• The Public Forest Estate will remain in public ownership.

• A new body will be established to work alongside the Forestry Commission to "hold the [Public Forest] Estate in trust of the nation and manage it for the long-term benefit of people, the economy and the environment."

Reaction on Twitter has included:

The National Forest ‏@NatForestCo
Bishop James welcomes response even if his 15% increase by 2060 is now 12%. Positions response as cross party policy.

Karen Wilde ‏@wildelycreative
"The Independent Forestry Panel was a result of campaigning not by the major bodies, but a widespread and fierce campaign from the public"

FCEngland Press ‏@FCEnglandPress
Forestry Commission Chair Sir Harry Studholme welcomes the goverment's response to the Independent Panel's proposals:http://bit.ly/XUGzEF

The Tree Council ‏@TheTreeCouncil
Govt commitment in Response to Forestry Panel to seek funding for Big Tree Plant follow-up to develop individuals and communities thru trees

Join the conversation. Follow us on Twitter.

Read more...

Thelwall kids mucked in to plant trees at a local park last week, as snow blanketed Warrington.

Year 2 youngsters from Thelwall Infants School planted hedgerow trees alongside the edge of the playing area at Barley Road Park, as part of the next stage of the park's transformation.

Barley Road Park is being redeveloped to include a natural play area, which will feature mushroom stools, stepping rocks, a willow dome and secret passageways, all made from natural materials.

Earlier in the planting season, children from Thelwall Infants also took part in bulb-planting at the site.

Councillor Louise Fernyhough from Thelwall & Grappenhall Parish Council, who has been driving the project forward, said: "It's wonderful to get local children involved in the improvements to the park, which will encourage them to benefit from natural play – and what better way to achieve that than in the snow!"

Alison Rostron, Head Teacher at Thelwall Infants School, said: "We're keen to encourage the children to be outdoors as much as possible. This winter, every class at the school has got involved in tree or bulb planting in some way – whether it's helping to improve Barley Road Park, or planting our school woodland, where we plan to hold outdoor classes."

Thelwall and Grappenhall Parish Council have commissioned the project, which is being coordinated by The Mersey Forest. It is being funded via a Lottery Awards for All grant of £10,000, which was secured by the Parish Council.

With tree-planting season in full swing, The Mersey Forest is helping over 70 schools and community groups to plant trees as part of the Big Tree Plant this winter.

Read more...

A great way to cut down the environmental impact of the celebratory season is to recycle your Christmas tree once the festivities are over. Used real Christmas trees can be recycled into woodchips and leaf mulch, which can be used to maintain the green spaces you love.

If you live in The Mersey Forest area, you can recycle your Christmas tree in the following places:

Cheshire West and Chester
Residents are being advised to recycle their Christmas trees by putting them in their green garden waste bins. If the tree will not fit, then they can be taken to household recycling centres across the region. Find your nearest recycling centre by visiting the Cheshire West and Chester Council website.

Halton
Residents can take Christmas trees to the household waste recycling centres on Picow Farm Road in Runcorn and Johnsons Lane in Widnes.

Knowsley

Christmas tree recycling in Knowsley will take place from Sunday 29 December until 6 January.

You can take your Christmas tree to collection points at the following locations:

• Halewood Park, Halewood

• Strathmore Park, Whiston

• Millbrook Park, Kirby

• Court Hey Park, Huyton

• The Holy Family Social Club, Cronton.

Liverpool
Over the Christmas period Liverpool City Council will be establishing collection points where residents can take their real Christmas trees. These sites will be running from 29 December-22 January.

• Alderfield Road – Speke, by Millwood

• Calderstones Park – Calderstones Road car park

• Calderstones Park – Yew Tree Road car park

• Croxteth Park – Oak Lane car park

• Everton Park – Viewing Platform, Netherfield Road North

• Long Lane Recreation Ground - Garston

• Newsham Park – Gardeners Drive (Sheil Road end)

• Otterspool Carpark – the first car park

• Sefton Park – Review Field, Ullet Gate

• Stanley Park – car park

• Wavertree Park – tennis centre car park

• Woolton Road - boys club car park

Sefton
Christmas tree collection services will be available in Sefton on every Saturday in January.

Local charity Jospice will be running a Christmas tree recycling service on 5-6 January to raise funds for the charity. The council will also be offering a free recycling service on Saturday 12, 19 and 26 January.

To book a collection, please phone 0845 140 0845.

St.Helens
Christmas tree recycling will be available in St.Helens from Saturday 5 January until Friday 11 January. The following drop off points will be available:

• Nanny Goat Park, Parr
(N.B: Please leave your trees in the area clearly marked out near the main notice board)

• Sutton Park, Sutton
(N.B: Please leave your trees in the area clearly marked out by the notice board on Marina Drive)

• Clinkham Wood, Moss Bank
(N.B: Please leave your trees at either the notice board opposite the Black Horse Pub, or next to the green metal container on the sports field off Windermere Avenue)

• Victoria Park, Windle
(N.B: Please leave your tree in the area clearly marked out just off City Rd near The Mansion House)

• Taylor Park, West Park
(N.B: Please leave your tree in the area clearly marked out adjacent to Grosvenor Rd)

In addition, the St.Helens Rangers will be at Naylors Wood, Newton-le-Willows on 6 January, where they will be on hand to chip used Christmas trees and return the mulch to you for use in your garden. They will be there from 10:30am to 3:30pm.

Warrington
Christmas trees can be recycled for free at any of Warrington's community recycling centres, including Stockton Heath, Woolston and Gatewarth, on any day apart from Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

Alternatively, St Rocco's Hospice, in partnership with Warrington Council and Whitemoss waste company, are running a Christmas tree recycling service this year to raise funds for the charity. They will be collecting Christmas trees on 6 January, in return for a donation of your choice. To arrange for them to collect your tree, contact Helen Latham on 019225 575780.

Read more...

This week, we issued our latest e-newsletters, with headlines including the success of the Elf and Fairy Fair earlier in the summer, the prospect of thousands of new street trees to brighten Merseyside's neighbourhoods, wood-powered heating installed at Trafford Mill in Cheshire, and an update on the Natural Choices programme, which has seen almost 40 community groups work on health and wellbeing projects in Liverpool.

This year the Mersey Forest delivered £1.5 million worth of projects in Merseyside and North Cheshire, producing £10 for every £1 invested in the partnership.

Our newsletters are tailored, so whether you're a woodland professional, an interested member of the public, or represent a local authority, you'll be able to get all of our latest news. To view the right newsletter for you, visit our e-newsletter page.

The next edition of our newsletter is out in spring. To receive a copy, why not become a supporter of The Mersey Forest? It's free and only takes a minute.
 

Read more...

Over 120 North West based tree and woodland professionals attended an ash dieback information meeting this week, organised by The Mersey Forest on behalf of the Regional Forestry Forum.

Representatives from councils from all over the North West, including the seven Mersey Forest local authorities, and other organisations, joined a panel of experts from the Woodland Trust, the Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) and the Forestry Commission to discuss the ash dieback issue.

The meeting covered issues such as the causes of ash dieback, how organisations are responding across the UK, and a question and answer session.

Ash dieback hit headlines last month when it emerged that ash trees at over 250 sites in the UK are infected with ash dieback disease. The government issued a short-term action plan, which will be followed up with an in depth report which is due to be released this Thursday. 

Iain Taylor, the Chair of the Northwest Regional Forestry Forum, said: "Ash dieback is an important issue and it was great to bring experts from all over the North West together today at Myerscough.

"We know from the overwhelming level of interest in this event that people are concerned for their trees and woodlands and want to know how they manage the ash in their area. We are now looking towards the release of the next government action plan, which is due to be issued on Thursday."

Clare Olver from The Mersey Forest, who was responsible for organising the meeting, said: "The meeting was very well-attended - it was great to see so many people concerned about the North West's ash trees. 

"We'd also like to say a big thank you to Myerscough College for hosting the meeting."

Update 7/12/12:

Presentations from the event and papers referred to during the discussions are now available on the Regional Forestry Forum website (see foot of documents list).

The government has also now published its chalara action plan as well as a webpage providing advice for landowners.

Read more...

Warrington Borough Council's Risley Moss Local Nature Reserve has fought off stiff competition from Delamere Forest to be voted North Cheshire and Merseyside's favourite woodland in a recent community consultation by The Mersey Forest.

People from across The Mersey Forest area offered feedback this summer about their local woodlands, using an interactive map to pinpoint their favourite sites, the locations where more woodlands should be planted, and areas where existing woods could be improved.

Risley Moss came out on top as the local area's favourite out of the 207 different woodlands nominated by the public, receiving more than 50 votes.

The survey was part of the public consultation stage of the refresh of The Mersey Forest Plan, which The Mersey Forest Team is currently finalising following discussions with each local authority and other key partners.

The plan, originally written in 1994, outlines the vision, aims and objectives of The Mersey Forest, and sets out how the partnership will achieve these goals.

The refreshed version is due to be completed in April 2013.
 

Read more...

Over 50 schools and community groups in Merseyside are set to plant commemorative "Jubilee Trees" this winter as part of a project coordinated by The Mersey Forest and Sefton CVS.

The project was officially launched by Dame Lorna Muirhead, the Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside with a ceremony in Liverpool Anglican Cathedral on 24 November, which included stories from schools across Merseyside about the project, and a choral evensong marking the end of the Cathedral's celebrations of the Queen's Jubilee year.

Dame Lorna Muirhead said: "I am delighted that so many schools and community groups across Merseyside have chosen to honour the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in this way. In 60 years these trees will be a landmark to commemorate this special year."

"The trees planted as part of this project will serve as a continuing reminder of Her Majesty's lifelong service to this country."

The trees are funded by the national Big Tree Plant campaign and The Woodland Trust, as part of The Mersey Forest.

Helen Carty, High Sheriff of Liverpool, who came up with the Jubilee Trees concept, said: "This is a great way to round off a memorable year for the country, and the trees will also help create The Mersey Forest – providing habitat for wildlife, helping to improve air quality, and creating greener, even more attractive school grounds for children to enjoy."

Read more...

Earlier this year we asked people which local woods they love and where they'd like to see more trees planted. The campaign was a way to help members of the public to be involved in the ongoing refresh of our guiding Mersey Forest Plan.

We created an interactive online map as a visual and fun way for people to participate, and launched this in June. As well as promoting the map via our website, Facebook page and Twitter feed, we took a stickers-and-pens version of the map on the road to the Cheshire County Show, Green Safari Day at Risley Moss and the Southport Flower Show.

We offered the chance to win tickets to Chester Zoo as a prize to encourage people to take part (thanks to Chester Zoo for donating these, and well done to our winner, Sarah Tandy).

The public's excellent response meant that we received a total of 1188 votes and comments over the course of the campaign.

These spanned a staggering 331 different locations:

• 207 locations of favourite trees and woodlands
• 87 suggestions of places where trees are needed
• and 37 suggestions of sites that could be made even better

The Mersey Forest Team has since been busy analysing the whole lot as part of the upcoming refresh of the long-term Mersey Forest Plan which guides our work to create a well-wooded, healthy and prosperous Merseyside and North Cheshire.

A draft of the new document is near complete, which has also incorporated a range of feedback from local authorities and other important stakeholders. The draft will be available for full consultation early in 2013.

We are planning to keep the interactive map "live" as a long-term resource, so if you've not done so already, visit the map to check it out and add your own comments.

Read more...

The Mersey Forest is set to help over 70 community groups and schools plant trees this winter, as we enter the second year of the Big Tree Plant,  a national campaign encouraging people and communities to plant more trees in England's towns, cities and neighbourhoods.

Last year we worked with 68 groups including schools, hospitals and community centres to plant more than 17,600 trees across Merseyside and North Cheshire, surpassing our original targets by over 2,000 trees. This success enabled us to secure £160,000 in extra Big Tree Plant funding, which we'll be putting to good use for the next three years.

This tree planting season (November 2012 to March 2013), we'll be planting new community orchards in Cheshire, in partnership with Cheshire Landscape Trust. In Halton, we'll be expanding a new school woodland at Farnworth Primary School, and will be working with Knowsley MBC to plant over 130 parkland trees.

In Liverpool, we'll be improving the landscape at St Annes and Christian Fellowship Schools with environmental faith charity Faiths for Change, and in Sefton parents and nursery children at Litherland Moss Primary School and Children's Centre will be helping plant a new woodland.

In St.Helens, we'll be refurbishing a fruit growing area in the town centre at St.Helens Launchpad, and in Warrington, we'll be creating a new woodland at Thelwall Primary School, which will be used in the future to teach children outdoors.

If you're part of a school or community group who would like to help green your local community by planting trees, there's still time to let us know. Contact The Mersey Forest Team on 01925 816217.

Big Tree Plant complements the work of ForeStClim – an EU-funded environmental project that looks at forests and climate change across North West Europe. The majority of Big Tree Plant planting schemes focus on urban areas of high deprivation, which are lacking in green space and are therefore most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Community tree planting in The Mersey Forest this winter is also supported by The Woodland Trust.

Read more...

Children from Thelwall Infant School helped to plant over 1200 bulbs in Barley Road park in November, as part of the transformation of the park which is being coordinated by The Mersey Forest.

The park, in Thelwall, South Warrington, is being redeveloped to include a natural play area, which will feature mushroom stools, stepping rocks, a willow dome and secret passageways, all made from natural materials.

Research has shown that providing facilities for natural play means greater opportunities for imaginative play, reduced risk of injuries, enhanced social interaction between children and higher levels of physical activity.

Thelwall and Grappenhall Parish Council have commissioned the project. It is funded via a Lottery Awards for All grant of £10,000, which was secured by the Parish Council.

It follows the success of a similar project at Grappenhall's Euclid Park in 2011. Euclid Park was transformed when The Mersey Forest planted a community orchard in its grounds, created new seating and added a natural play area of fallen logs and other features (see photos).

Jo Sayers, Community Development Officer at The Mersey Forest, said: "Following the success of the natural play area which we developed at Euclid Park, we are pleased to be involved in this latest project to develop Barley Road Park.

"We had some great feedback from residents in Grappenhall, and we're hoping that children will enjoy the newly refurbished play areas as much as they do at Euclid Park."

Read more...

Autumn colours at Calderstones Park, by Anthony Beyga.
 

Over the last month, we've been asking our Facebook fans to send in their photos of autumn colour.

We've had fabulous responses - with people sending photos from all over Merseyside, from Murdishaw Wood to Norton Priory to Crosby Beach.

You can view all of their fabulous photographs on this page.

Thank you to all of the photographers who submitted autumn photos for us. If you liked this gallery, why not join the conversation on our Facebook and Twitter pages?

Read more...

You may have heard about the ash dieback disease which has recently been discovered in the UK. To find out what this may mean for our trees here in the North West, read our brief Q&A:

What is ash dieback / chalara?
Ash dieback (Chalara fraxinea) is a fungus which has developed in mainland Europe over the past decade, and has been responsible for the death of 60-90% of ash trees in Denmark. It has recently been discovered in south east England and there is a danger that it will spread across the country.

How many of our trees are ash?
In Merseyside and Cheshire, approximately 6% of trees are ash.

What happens to infected trees?

The disease causes leaf loss and crown dieback in affected trees, and it can lead to tree death.

How is the disease spread?

The disease is primarily transmitted through the air, but first entered the UK via infected imported trees from Europe.

How is the UK responding?
The Forestry Commission and the Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) carried out a national survey on 3/4 November 2012 to assess how far across the country the disease has spread. Following this, the government released a detailed action plan on 6 December, outlining the measures that Defra, the Forestry Commission, and FERA will be taking to combat ash dieback over the coming tree-planting season. 

Has it been found in the North West?

You can view confirmed instances of ash dieback on the Forestry Commission's national map available halfway down their ash dieback homepage. At the time of writing (28/11/2012), there are no infected sites in The Mersey Forest area (Merseyside and North Cheshire).

Elsewhere in the North West, the only confirmed instances are within what are termed "recently planted sites" - these are isolated sites which have received young ash trees from a tree nursery or other supplier whose stock was infected.

There are no confirmed instances of infections in "the wider environment" in the region.

What is The Mersey Forest Team doing?
To reduce the likelihood of the disease becoming established in Merseyside and North Cheshire, we are developing a protocol and risk assessment for all of our tree planting and other activities this winter, based upon Forestry Commission guidance. We will be planting no ash trees as part of our programme this year.

As a precaution, sites that received ash trees as part of The Big Tree Plant last planting season in The Mersey Forest have been inspected by FERA.

We also organised an ash dieback information day on behalf of the Regional Forestry Forum, attended by more than 120 woodland professionals from across the North West on 4th December 2012..

What can I do to help?
The government is calling on everybody to keep an eye out for the symptoms of ash dieback when spending time in their woodlands. There are plenty of resources on the Forestry Commission website, including a video, to help you identify the disease.

If you think you have spotted ash dieback, take a photograph of the symptoms and record the exact location of the tree. Inform the Forestry Commission immediately, either by email (plant.health@forestry.gsi.gov.uk) or by calling the Chalara helpline: 08459 33 55 77.

Alternatively, iPhone and Android users can download the Ash Tag smartphone application, which enables you to "tag" potentially infected ash trees and send the information directly to the Forestry Commission. If you don't have a smartphone, you can still submit details of the sighting to the Ash Tag website.

I'm a landowner with ash trees in my woodland. What should I do? 

On 7 December, the Forestry Commission published an advice document for landowners, which gives specific advice about what you should do if you have ash trees on your land.  

Any questions?

For further information about ash dieback, contact the Forestry Commission. If you would like to discuss any concerns about local sites, please contact The Mersey Forest team on 01925 816217.

Read more...

"Whether it be the buttery yellows of birches, the vivid reds of sycamores or the burning gold of beech trees, autumn colour is an ephemeral spectacle that is not just confined to a few choice nature reserves, but a treat that can be seen just about anywhere," wrote Mike Dilger for the Guardian earlier in the month.

Autumn has arrived late this year, with the leaves retaining their dazzling colours thanks to the unseasonable warm and wet autumn we've had.

"A walk on the wild-side is also an assault on the senses, so don't forget to use them," continued Mike.

This is the message being stressed by Liverpool Primary Care Trust's Decade of Health and Wellbeing campaign.

Going out into the woodlands and taking note of the seasonal changes around you can improve your mental wellbeing, as well as contributing towards a fit and healthy lifestyle.

We hope you have enjoyed autumn as much as we have here at The Mersey Forest.

What does autumn look like near you? Join the conversation on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Read more...

We're currently savouring this beautiful autumnal view at Risley Moss Nature Reserve, where our offices are based. 

What does autumn look like near you? Let us know by posting your photographs on our Facebook and Twitter pages. 

Read more...

Well done to Sarah Tandy who has won our prize draw as part of our summer-long campaign to find out which woods you love and where you would like to see more trees planted. Sarah added The Woodland Trust's Seeds Plantation as her favourite woodland on our interactive people-powered map and can now enjoy a pair of tickets to Chester Zoo as her prize.

We'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has contributed to the fantastic total of more than 1000 votes and comments which were added to the map over the course of the campaign, covering more than 300 different locations. You told us about more than 200 places where you appreciate trees and woodlands, as well as over 100 suggestions of where you'd like to see more planted or improved management.

We're now eagerly analysing the whole lot as part of our upcoming refresh of the long-term Mersey Forest Plan which guides our work to create a well-wooded, healthy and prosperous Merseyside and North Cheshire.

Even though the competition is now closed, we are planning to keep the interactive map "live" as a long-term resource, so if you've not done so already, visit the map to check it out and add your own comments.
 

Read more...

Following the Independent Panel on Forestry's report, Defra has published the first of a series of short public surveys. This will help shape the Government's decision around the future of England's forests, woods and trees.

Why not have your say? http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/forestry/survey/

Read more...

With less than 75 days before London 2012 gets out of the blocks, Risley Moss Local Nature Reserve in Birchwood is set for its own bit of Olympic glory, with families invited to a "Running Rings" activity morning this Saturday (19th May).

Opened by local MP Helen Jones, the event will offer young and old the chance to walk, run, skip or amble anything from a couple of hundred metres to a mile around the beautiful nature reserve, with the option to receive a time and a certificate as they cross the giant inflatable finish line.

The morning, which runs from 10am to midday, is part of The Mersey Forest's "Running Rings" project to help people get active and enjoy nature in the build-up to the Games. The project has been awarded the official London 2012 Inspire Mark, with two further activity mornings also scheduled at Risley Moss for Saturday 16th June and Saturday 7th July. The events are co-organised by Warrington Borough Council and local running club Spectrum Striders.
 

Read more...

May is national Walk in the Woods month and to celebrate we've compiled a What's On guide of more than 150 guided walks taking place across Merseyside and North Cheshire for you to enjoy.

From dawn chorus walks to listen to the birdsong, to wildflower rambles and sociable health walks, there is something suitable for all ages and fitness levels.

The walks form part of the Tree Council's national 'Walk in the Woods' month, and are organised by a wide range of providers within The Mersey Forest Partnership, from local authority ranger events, to Walking for Health walks to community groups' guided wildlife walks.

Also don't forget, nature lovers can keep exploring the local area at their leisure all summer long thanks to free maps and walk direction packs available from our Discover The Mersey Forest website.

Read more...

A few years ago, the waste chippings from work like the recent essential rhododendron clearance funded by Natural England and Warrington Borough Council at Risley Moss Local Nature Reserve may have well ended up in a landfill.

However times have changed and waste wood now has a positive role to play in the economy. In the case of the Risley Moss chippings pictured above, this has involved them being sold to a local paper mill as wood fuel.

The large paper mill west of Chester requires massive amounts of steam to produce its paper. A few years back it switched from gas to biomass (wood fuel) for its steam and electricity needs, and now takes large quantities of low grade forestry trimmings and waste wood. It has opened up a whole new market for this material and stimulated a lot of employment as well. Tree surgeons and small firms are investing in wood fuel processing equipment to make better quality fuels. Large firms like Warrington-based Eddie Stobart have set up a specialist division to deal with this expanding trade in renewable fuels.
 

Read more...

The first winter of the Big Tree Plant campaign has been a huge success in The Mersey Forest, with more than 17,600 trees planted with local communities in Merseyside and North Cheshire – outstripping our original target for the season by more than 2,000 trees.

The Big Tree Plant has set aside £255,000 over four years for The Mersey Forest to plant trees and create mini-woodlands to brighten our neighbourhoods – and this first planting season, from November 2011 to March 2012, has seen 68 projects reap the benefits, including school grounds, hospitals and community centres.

Read more...

Congratulations to Warrington volunteers for their recent hard work to keep their local environment tidy.

The volunteers split into different teams across the town, cleaning green spaces in areas including Birchwood, Oakwood and Gorse Covert. The teams managed to pick up an incredible 91 bags of litter from the local woodlands in total.
 

Nigel Balding, founder of Small Woods of Oakwood Partnership (SWOOP), which participated in the event, said: "Our team of 10 people had a very productive event clearing out 14 big bags of rubbish from Oakwood Woods including three broken blue bins and a variety of wheels, pipes and bits of metal. Some of this litter has been bugging me for several months and it's a great feeling to have helped to removed it."
 

The clean-up was also supported by other organisations including Stronger Together in Warrington, Friends of Gorse Covert Mounds and Clean up my Community-Warrington.

The volunteers were joined by a film crew from Penketh High School, who videoed the event as part of their Young Enterprise project.

Read more in this article on Warrington Worldwide.

Read more...

A well-informed recent letter in the Warrington Guardian has highlighted that the debate over the future of England's woodlands is not over yet.

Despite slipping from the national headlines, Great Sankey's Charles Sawyer reminds people that the independent panel set up by the government to create recommendations for future policy is still working towards its final report which will be published this spring.

Mr Sawyer emphasises the importance of having access to local woodlands, highlighting Delamere Forest in particular: "I love it because I live in a built up town and it is my opportunity to get some fresh air, exercise and time to relax." Read the full letter.

Read more...

Pupils from Glazebury Church of England Primary School have helped green their school grounds as part of The Big Tree Plant.

A parent and helper at the school contacted The Mersey Forest last year to ask for a tree for a memorial garden in the school. It only took one site visit from The Mersey Forest Team for the whole school to gear themselves up for creating an orchard, hedge laying and planting the memorial tree, with funding from The Big Tree Plant.

Pupils from the school planted nine apple trees donated by and with help from the Cheshire Landscape Trust, along with approximately 60m of hedgerow with dogwood, hawthorn and blackthorn; a standard oak tree to complement the existing trees on the edge of the school field, and a copper beech tree in the memorial garden.

The enthusiastic children worked tirelessly, and didn't mind the rain or the mud. The sun came out later, and shone down on their newly planted trees.

For further information on The Big Tree Plant, visit their official website or contact us.

Read more...

A four-year tree planting drive to create a greener, healthier Warrington has been launched. Local residents and members of Grappenhall and Thelwall Parish Council dug in at a rain-drenched planting morning at the recently revamped Euclid Park to kick off Warrington's part in The Big Tree Plant, the national campaign to get more people planting and caring for trees.

Locally the campaign has set aside £255,000 over the next four years to support tree planting and get people involved in their environment across North Cheshire and Merseyside. The funding for the local area was secured by The Mersey Forest who will use the cash to help community groups and schools to brighten their neighbourhoods with new street trees, woodlands and mini-orchards – starting with hundreds of trees to be planted across Warrington this winter.

Warrington South MP David Mowat took part in the tree planting and said: "The benefits of creating a well-wooded landscape are there for all to see – from providing places to relax and stay fit and healthy, to providing habitat for wildlife, to helping fight climate change. It's excellent to see this new campaign continuing the greening of Warrington's landscape that's already been achieved as part of The Mersey Forest."

He was joined by the Mayor of Warrington, Cllr Mike Biggin, who is Warrington's member for The Mersey Forest and has been involved in the Euclid Park project from the start. He said: "Across the country The Big Tree Plant is aiming to help people plant 1 million trees by 2015. It's great to be part of launching Warrington's contribution, and what better place to do so than at Euclid Park, one of the town's most recent green success stories."

Read more...

The Mersey Forest's part in the national Big Tree Plant campaign has got off to a great start in recent weeks with a series of community tree planting events that are already making a difference in school grounds, parks, community centres and woodlands across the Forest area.

The Big Tree Plant has set aside £255,000 over the next four years for The Mersey Forest to plant trees and create mini-woodlands with Merseyside and Cheshire communities, beginning with 120 projects this winter that will see 18,000 trees planted.

Kicking things off, volunteers from Marston's Lion Salt Works and wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation dug in at a planting morning to help complete the Salt Works' newly created butterfly garden (read press release).

Read more...

Warrington has caught the outdoor education bug - with many schools wanting to improve their grounds to create outdoor learning environments and help pupils reconnect with nature.

The Mersey Forest will be working with seven local primaries this autumn and winter to make their plans a reality, using funding from The Big Tree Plant. The schools are set to benefit from orchards, new mini woodlands and wildlife-friendly hedgerows to create settings for natural play and outdoor learning within their own grounds.

Read more...

Wheelchair users and other members of the public can now enjoy nature conservation area The Twiggeries more easily, thanks to a revamp of the site's woodland and boardwalk.

The wildlife hotspot, located next to Warrington cemetery and consisting of wet woodland and reed beds, was previously unwelcoming to members of the public due to its overgrown willow creating a dark, dense environment. Wheelchair access was difficult due to the site's narrow boardwalks, and the site suffered from the encroachment of invasive, non-native species Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam.

The Mersey Forest helped landowner Warrington Borough Council to secure nearly £7,000 of funding to improve the site through the Forestry Commission's English Woodland Grant Scheme.

The woodland has now been opened up for the benefit of both wildlife and members of the public. Coppicing the willow around the site's paths and boardwalks has improved light levels and lines of sight, while also helping to improve the age structure of the woodland, making sure the site has a healthy mixture of mature trees and new growth. The increased light in particular has resulted in a thriving and more diverse range of plants growing on the woodland floor. The invasive species are under a programme of control with the aim of eradication.

Interpretation boards are to be installed to help people learn more about the woodland, and wheelchair access has been improved by widening and developing the boardwalk that spans boggy areas of the site.

Read more...

As winter approaches, The Mersey Forest is working to give local businesses and residents a renewable choice for their heating, using wood as a fuel.

The Mersey Forest has launched an online calculator to help businesses and consumers explore the financial and carbon benefits of switching to a wood fuel boiler to take advantage of the government's Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).

The free tool at www.merseyforest.org.uk/rhicalculator is believed to be the first of its kind, and provides users with estimates of how much they would earn from the RHI, how quickly their boiler would pay for itself, the expected difference in annual fuel bill and what return they could see after 20 years.

It is hoped that the new tool will encourage organisations and residents to emulate the recently opened Hope Academy in Newton-Le-Willows, which has installed a biomass boiler and solar panels which together provide 100% of its heating and hot water requirements.

The calculator is already highlighting the particular advantages of biomass for those in off-grid areas whose properties aren't connected to mains gas. In anticipation of these findings, over the past year The Mersey Forest has mapped 'off gas' parts of Cheshire and Warrington, and made contact with businesses in these areas to provide advice on changing away from increasingly expensive alternative fuels such as heating oil and coal.

Read more...

Enjoy these photos of Grappenhall's revitalised Euclid Park, which has delighted local residents following a major revamp thanks to The Mersey Forest and partners (see previous newsletter story) earlier in 2011.

Funding for the project was secured by The Mersey Forest and Grappenhall and Thelwall Parish Council (with strong input from Cllr Mike Biggin, Mayor of Warrington) from the Play Pathfinder Programme.

Read more...

Last winter's outcry over plans for public woodlands led to the announcement of a national review of England's approach to woods and forests. As part of this, The Mersey Forest has been making the case for the importance of community woodlands for people, wildlife and economy.

Chairing the Independent Panel on Forestry set up to advise the government is the Bishop of Liverpool, James Jones. In June, The Mersey Forest and partners took the Bishop to see a brand new community woodland in action and talk to local residents who have benefited from the project.

One year on from being planted, Mab Lane Community Woodland has been named as Merseyside's Neighbourhood Improvement Project of the year and been proclaimed "a brilliant idea" by local residents who say it has "really changed the area".

As part of his visit to the woodland, the Bishop heard from members of the local community about the difference that the woodland had made to the area, with local resident Tony Beyga commenting:

"Bishop Jones appeared very impressed with the woodlands and listened to everyone's point of view and took on board all the comments and feedback.

"We hope he took away a positive impression and he could clearly see the amount of hard work and effort that has gone into making the woodland a very valuable community resource."

All at The Mersey Forest wish the Bishop a speedy recovery from his recent ill-health, and we look forward to working with him again soon.

Read more...

Win a scrumptious lunch for two at Merseyside's Fir Tree Farm Shop and Café. For your chance to win, all you need to do is "Like" The Mersey Forest's new Facebook page.

To enter, all you need to do is to click the blue "Like" button below
(or the one at the top of www.facebook.com/merseyforest).

Once you've "Liked" the page, you'll get the latest nature news from The Mersey Forest in your Facebook newsfeed, and you'll be entered into our free draw.

The prize is lunch for two at St.Helens' fantastic Fir Tree Farm Shop and Café, open seven days a week serving a delicious lunchtime menu created from fresh ingredients sourced from local producers or ethically sourced whenever possible.

You can also walk off your lunch at the farm itself, with their range of woodland walks through a landscape that has seen a "huge increase in bird and wildlife populations" thanks to extensive tree planting with The Mersey Forest since 1998.

"Like" The Mersey Forest on Facebook by Friday 14th October for your chance to win.

Read more...

Warrington's Risley Moss Local Nature Reserve has been unveiled as the first of seven "Running Rings" sites across The Mersey Forest.

As part of this London 2012 "Inspire" endorsed project, The Mersey Forest is creating a series of circular routes in local community woodlands to help people get active and enjoy nature.

To kick things off, a "Running Rings" activity morning was held in May 2011, with families joining The Mersey Forest, Warrington Borough Council and local running club Spectrum Striders to walk or run anything from a couple of hundred metres to a mile and receive their time and certificate.

Read more...

Our desktop backgrounds have proved hugely popular - so we have continued to add to our selection of stunning nature and wildlife images taken in The Mersey Forest to use as your backdrop on your computer, all completely free and provided exclusively for our supporters.

Visit our desktop backgrounds blog for three new scenes to choose from (taking the total now available to twelve), ranging from this magnificent peacock butterfly (taken by Helen Lacy) to beautiful autumnal photos of the local area.

When you're on the desktop backgrounds blog, click your favourite image to see the large version, then right-click this large version and choose 'Set as desktop background'.

We'd love to see any of your own photos of Merseyside and Cheshire's natural environment, especially woodlands or wildlife. You can send them to supporters@merseyforest.org.uk. With the consent of the photographer, the best ones may be used as future desktop backgrounds for people to enjoy, or on the revamped Mersey Forest website due to be launched towards the end of this year.
 

Read more...

Woodland bird numbers in the Northwest have increased by 31% since 1994 according to a new study by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).

This contrasts with heavy declines in the south, with a drop in numbers of 19% in the South East and 13% in the South West.

Over the same time period as the study, The Mersey Forest Partnership has planted new woodlands the size of 4,000 football pitches in Merseyside and Cheshire, so we hope to have played a significant part in the success story in the Northwest.

Another positive is that as the many recently planted young woodlands within The Mersey Forest area grow and mature, they will continue to aid our much-loved wildlife for decades to come.

You can read more on The Telegraph and The Guardian websites.

Read more...

More than a thousand people celebrated two decades of The Mersey Forest at a "carnival in the woods" this summer.

The event at Risley Moss Local Nature Reserve in Warrington was held to thank all those who've been involved in planting more than 8 million trees across Merseyside and North Cheshire over the past twenty years.

The carnival was opened by Chair of the Forestry Commission Pam Warhurst, Warrington North MP Helen Jones, and Chair of Risley Moss Action Group, Andy Pearson.

Activities throughout the day included storytelling woodland walks, den building, puppet shows and willow weaving, with the soundtrack to the carnival provided by innovative musicians Urban Strawberry Lunch who perform using recycled instruments made from junk.

Read more...

An online activity pack for training community groups in climate change adaptation has been launched by Community Forests Northwest on behalf of Liverpool City Council. The training resource helps groups to explore how street trees, private gardens, school grounds and other green spaces can help us cope with some of the challenges - and enjoy some of the benefits - that climate change may bring.

The materials were developed in consultation with groups from across the North West of England, and are intended to be used by the likes of "friends of" groups, resident associations, primary and secondary school groups, faith and low carbon community groups.

Games and pledges

From presentations explaining the term "green infrastructure" to a game where participants develop a solid understanding of the difference between climate change adaptation and mitigation, the community adaptation training comprises a range of different activities suitable for all kinds of community groups with varying degrees of knowledge and interests in the subject. A pledge of action after the training session motivates trainees to consider their own impact on their local environment in their daily lives.

The website also showcases tips for the practitioner leading the training, such as advice for how much time to give to each activity, what level of understanding certain groups may have, and what kind of equipment may be useful.

Read more...

A new Framework for Action developed by Community Forests Northwest showing how our green spaces in the North West of England can help fight climate change has been launched.

It sets out how our parks, gardens, trees, green roofs, rivers, and floodplains can be used to mitigate and adapt to climate change in Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and Merseyside.

Climate change is considered one of the greatest threats to our social well being and economic future. Using natural, or green infrastructure, interventions is increasingly recognised as a 'win-win' approach to combating climate change as they provide multiple other social, economic and environmental benefits.

The new Framework for Action sets out comprehensive actions to ensure that green infrastructure is planned, designed, and managed by all relevant stakeholders, involving and engaging local communities, in order to combat climate change and deliver wider benefits.

Read more...

The Mersey Forest was one of 19 winners this summer of The Guardian national newspaper's competition to sum up the importance of nature through photographs.

The above photo was taken by our regular photographers McCoy Wynne in Little Crosby in Merseyside, and chosen for showing nature as a place for fun and family, and how exploring green spaces improves our physical health and mental wellbeing.

It's well worth checking out the other fantastic shots in The Guardian's online gallery of the winning photos, which were also displayed at the 2011 World Forum on Enterprise and the Environment at Oxford University.

We'd love to see any of your own photos of Merseyside and Cheshire's natural environment, especially woodlands or local wildlife. You can send them to supporters@merseyforest.org.uk. With the consent of the photographer, the best ones may be used on the revamped Mersey Forest website due to be launched towards the end of this year, or as one of our popular desktop backgrounds for our supporters.
 

Read more...

Over the past five years, The Mersey Forest has delivered a £1 million boost to local woodlands in Cheshire and Merseyside.

The Forestry Commission has helped The Mersey Forest achieve its goals by providing funding through its English Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS) to organisations such as local authorities to help plant trees, manage existing areas of woodland, boost access to areas of woodland by creating footpaths and improve wildlife.

Read more...

After a winter when the future of England's public woodlands has stirred public passions and dominated the headlines, The Mersey Forest welcomes the chance to engage with the newly announced independent panel on the issue, which will report back to government in the autumn.

Our trees and woodlands provide huge benefits to our economy, society and wildlife, and as such, public forestry policy is far too important to get wrong.

We welcome the appointment as chair of the panel of the Right Reverend James Jones, Bishop of Liverpool, who has been a strong supporter of The Mersey Forest for many years.

The Mersey Forest believes there is a need for more community engagement and involvement in all woodlands, including on the Public Forest Estate. However, our experience of community forestry over the past 20 years has been that groups need support to make this a reality and take on stewardship of sites.

This is especially true in areas where community woodlands are likely to be of greatest value, where there may be relatively few people with the connections, capital and experience needed to manage them effectively for public benefit.

You can read more about the importance of community forestry in our paper on the public forests debate published earlier this year.

Read more...

The Mersey Forest has helped children and staff from Oakwood Avenue Primary School to undertake a huge project to convert the playing field next to their school into a woodland, christened "Oaky Wood", as part of a week of environmental activity at the school.

Planting days on Monday 7th and Tuesday 8th March saw 500 new trees planted by pupils, teachers, council staff, local businesses and parents. The planting included hedgerows, hazel and willow copses and a selection of other native trees, including oaks from which the local area gets its name.

Helen Collins from The Mersey Forest co-ordinated the planting and gave a special assembly to the children in its run-up.

Improvements were also made within the school's allotment, where a pond has been created and a tree that had to be removed has been "recycled" into a chainsaw carving.

Miss Gartland, the outdoor learning co-ordinator at the school, secured a Green Grant of £2,000 to fund the project from First Transpennine and the Forestry Commission. The project has set a great example of how to become a more sustainable school as well as help to improve the wider local environment.

Read more...

Residents in Grappenhall and Thelwall have been thrilled with the green revamp of Euclid Park that has taken place this spring, achieved with funding secured by The Mersey Forest and Grappenhall and Thelwall Parish Council from the Play Pathfinder Programme.

The previously drab and uninteresting park has been brought to life with a 'natural play' area of logs for children to clamber upon, new buggy and bicycle-friendly paths, new trees, more colourful shrubs, new seating, a community orchard of apple, cherry, pear and plum trees, and an edible fruit hedge, planted by residents themselves at a community planting day (pictured).

Cllr Mike Biggin, chair of Grappenhall and Thelwall Parish Council and member of The Mersey Forest steering group, said: "Use of the park has rapidly increased, from joggers, to parents having to drag eager youngsters off the logs, to mums pushing babies through the park rather than along the road. Groups of young people gravitate to the bench. It's wonderful and a living part of the area at last!"

The verdict was echoed by children enjoying the natural play area who said that: "This park is now really cool!" and a local mum who commented that she would now bring her little boy to the park more often so that he could ride his bike, thanks to the new paths.

Two local schools have been involved in the project. Children from Bradshaw Lane Primary carried out hedge and bulb planting to brighten the site, and to complete the project pupils from St.Wilfrid's C.E. Primary School have helped to create welcoming entrance artwork to invite people into the park.

Read more...

Choose from a growing selection of stunning nature and wildlife images taken in The Mersey Forest to use as your desktop background, all completely free and provided exclusively for our supporters.

Visit our desktop backgrounds blog for three new scenes to choose from (taking the total now available to nine), ranging from these fantastic bluebells (taken by Mike Roberts at Sherdley Park, St.Helens) to beautiful wildlife photos taken in the local area.

When you're on the desktop backgrounds blog, click your favourite image to see the large version, then right-click this large version and choose 'Set as desktop background'.

We'll continue to add new photos to the blog in time for each newsletter. Enjoy!

Read more...

As part of the International Year of Forests, everyone can now do a little something to help our trees.

The Mersey Forest is a supporter of Love Forests, the project which aims to bring people together with local and global organisations in order to raise awareness of the importance of forests.

The campaign suggests some easy ways in which to be green and help woodlands and forests by making a few changes to your daily routine. Ideas include:

>> Buy toilet roll with the FSC logo (Forest Stewardship Council)

>> Make sure any DIY products you buy (like decking or flooring) are made from sustainably sourced timber

>> Plant a tree

>> Visit local woodlands or forests regularly

>> Try out a UK holiday this summer in a log cabin

Individuals can commit to the above ideas and more as pledges they wish to carry out over this year and submit them on the Love Forests website, Facebook, or Twitter as well as post the reasons that they love forests.

2011 has been declared International Year of Forests by the United Nations General Assembly. The Year of Forests will raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests.

Read more...

The Liverpool culture blog Seven Streets has composed a list to highlight their favourite local woodlands and to celebrate the woods and forests on our doorstep in Merseyside.

The article includes several woodlands that The Mersey Forest has helped to create such as Mab Lane, the community forest in West Derby, and Bidston Moss, a refuse tip transformed into thriving community woodland.

The Mersey Forest also helps to support the running of a number of these woodlands, for example at Mill Wood where the local community group receives assistance to help look after their woodland.

Why not visit the page to see if your favourite has made the list, or to add a comment and suggest your own cherished woodland?

Read more...

Since 2007 our popular walking and cycling website Discover The Mersey Forest has helped people from across the Forest area to find places to explore on their doorstep, with visitors having downloaded more than 13,000 'route packs' of maps and directions for walks, bike rides and horse riding routes.

Now the site has been re-launched with an improved interface and new places to explore to help get even more people active.

The new site's simplified layout makes it quicker than ever to get inspired and find a route on your doorstep within a single click.

The range of activities to choose from has also been increased, and visitors can now pick from almost 100 local walks, rides and woodlands.

Discover The Mersey Forest also now has a dedicated page about our Running Rings project to create a series of woodland fitness routes as part of the London 2012 Games.

Visit Discover The Mersey Forest to give the new incarnation of the site a try and to see the difference for yourself…

Read more...

2011 has been declared International Year of Forests by the United Nations General Assembly. The Year of Forests will raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests.

The announcement is welcomed by The Mersey Forest Partnership, whose work at the local level has made its own important contribution to these themes in recent years. For example, all woodlands owned by St.Helens Council and Sefton Council are now certified as sustainably managed to international standards - with timber from the woodlands able to carry the well-known FSC logo. Knowsley Council is also on the path to achieving this certification for its woodlands.

Next year will also coincide with the 20th anniversary of the start of The Mersey Forest. In 1991 The Mersey Forest was established, and a small Forest Team began work to prepare The Mersey Forest Plan for the environmental regeneration of the local area, which was launched in 1994.

Since then The Mersey Forest Partnership has planted more than 8 million trees and engaged more than 100,000 people from communities across North Cheshire and Merseyside.

To celebrate the 20th birthday of the Forest, a 'thank you' event for all those who have contributed to the greening of the local area over the course of two decades will be held at Risley Moss Local Nature Reserve in June, as part of the reserve's annual Green Safari festival.

Read more...

Merseyside and North Cheshire will benefit from new woodland the size of 10 football pitches this winter thanks to an action-packed schedule to green more than 80 local sites across The Mersey Forest area.

The new planting will get a wide range of groups involved in their local environment, from schools to community volunteers. Bringing even more benefits, the new greenery will include 200 fruit trees to encourage healthy eating and encourage a greater appreciation of where our food comes from.

The busy winter programme shows how well-placed The Mersey Forest is to deliver The Big Tree Plant, the government's new tree planting campaign launched earlier this month.

The Big Tree Plant campaign will encourage community groups, organisations and individuals to plant and care for trees in towns, cities and residential areas across England.

£4.2 million funding will be available between 2011 and 2015 for groups to carry out tree planting projects in their area, with information on how to apply for funding available at www.direct.gov.uk/thebigtreeplant or by calling The Mersey Forest Offices on 01925 816217.

Read more...

Environmental charity BTCV has helped volunteers in The Mersey Forest to contribute a staggering 8,887 work days in the last 12 months to transform community green spaces and plant thousands of trees.

The volunteers' efforts equate to more than £400,000 worth of work at sites across Merseyside and Cheshire, measured at £50 per volunteer per day.

Young people, some of whom had previously not been involved in any green activity, have now taken up volunteering to improve their local environment thanks to the scheme, and more than 1,200 work days were undertaken this year by 16 to 25 year-olds.

Four people have secured employment thanks to their volunteering, after gaining vital experience as BTCV Volunteer Officers. By offering the chance to organise real projects, these voluntary positions provide a way to break the vicious of cycle of "no experience = no job = no experience" faced by so many young people.

If you would like to get involved in green volunteering in The Mersey Forest with BTCV, contact Neil McMahon (for Merseyside enquiries) at n.mcmahon@btcv.org.uk or on 0151 423 4433 or Pete Attwood (for Cheshire enquiries) at p.attwood@btcv.org.uk or on 01244 300230.

Read more...

The Mersey Forest has secured more than £48,000 worth of grants in 2009/10 to improve woodlands and support landowners in Warrington.

Popular bird-watching beauty spot Moore Nature Reserve will benefit from new paths to improve access for families and visitors, as well as receiving important woodland management work.

Meanwhile in Culcheth, Ratcliffe House Farm is benefiting from a new woodland the size of five football pitches. The new woodland will not only provide excellent habitats for wildlife, as it grows it will also come to provide a sustainable woodfuel resource for the farm house, with the owners aiming over time to become energy self-sufficient.

The securing of nearly £50,000 in grants represents a two-and-a-half-fold return on the Council's annual contribution of £18,155 to The Mersey Forest, even before considering the range of other services provided by the Forest.

The grants were secured from the Forestry Commission's English Woodland Grant Scheme.

Read more...

Get a view of beautiful local woodlands even when in front of your computer, with The Mersey Forest's free desktop backgrounds provided exclusively for our supporters.

Visit our desktop backgrounds blog for six colourful scenes to choose from, ranging from these autumnal leaves at Church Wood in Whitegate, Cheshire, to beautiful wildlife photos taken in the local area.

When you're on the desktop backgrounds blog, click your favourite image to see the large version, then right-click this large version and choose 'Set as desktop background'.

We'll add new photos to the blog in time for each newsletter. Enjoy!

Read more...

The chance for all to get involved in the 2012 Games is coming to Merseyside and Cheshire thanks to a Mersey Forest health and fitness project that has been awarded the London 2012 Inspire mark.

The Inspire programme brings the benefits of the 2012 Games to every part of the UK, giving millions the opportunity to participate as never before.

Within Merseyside and Cheshire, The Mersey Forest Partnership will create a series of circular 'ring routes' in local community woodlands to help people keep fit and enjoy nature - potentially including the following sites:

Cheshire West and Chester
>> Northwich Woodlands, the emerging Forest Park just north of the town centre.

Halton
>> Halton Local Nature Reserve, Dorchester Park.

Knowsley
>> Stadt Moers Park between Whiston and Huyton.

Liverpool
>> Sefton Park and at Mab Lane, the new community woodland in West Derby.

Sefton
>> Formby's coastal pinewoods.

St.Helens
>> Bold Forest Park, the cluster of woodlands centred around Sutton Manor.

Warrington
>> Risley Moss Local Nature Reserve in Birchwood.
 

The routes, dubbed 'Running Rings', will give residents and visitors inspired by London 2012 the chance to get involved with opportunities right on their doorstep. The Running Rings will provide a place for green exercise as well as a way to get involved in planting trees with communities and schools to provide a long term legacy for London 2012.

Partners in The Mersey Forest including the Forestry Commission, Cheshire West and Chester and the area's other local authorities have all shown strong interest in the project as it moves to its next exciting stage of development, with Running Rings locations being finalised.

Read more...

Online walking and cycling maps from The Mersey Forest are helping thousands of local people find new ways to get fit and enjoy the outdoors.

The Discover The Mersey Forest website provides free 'route packs' of directions and maps for more than 40 walking, cycling and horse riding routes in the region, as well as ideas for dozens of different woodlands to visit.

People looking for ways to stay active and explore their local environment have already downloaded more than 13,000 route packs, and with a revamp of the website coming later this year with a new interface and brand new routes, the popularity of the site is set to continue.

Much of the traffic to the site is driven by a grant secured by The Mersey Forest from Google. The grant, worth up to £75,000 per year, provides ongoing free advertising on Google to direct anyone in the local area searching for walks, cycle rides or even gym membership towards the free resources on offer at the Discover The Mersey Forest website.

Explore the site for yourself at www.discoverthemerseyforest.co.uk.

Read more...

Walton Parish Council have pioneered a street tree scheme with residents at its heart, with support from The Mersey Forest.

The Mersey Forest's Green Streets Co-ordinator attended a series of meetings with Walton Parish Council to help advise on the scheme, working in partnership with Warrington Borough Council's Tree Officer to offer guidance on species and location.

The Parish Council then got residents heavily involved, with 50 local people responding to a questionnaire to give their opinions on desired tree location, species and their willingness to water their new trees.

Residents were given a choice of seven different tree types suitable for residential street planting. Some residents got together to discuss tree species and chose to plant a single species down their street.

Thanks to this work, 29 new street trees have now been planted on Stetchworth Road and Mertoun Road. A small number of the trees were damaged following the planting, however residents were happy to help repair the damage where they could - showing the benefits of giving people a sense of 'ownership' of their street environment.

The project offered excellent value for money, with the trees costing £4,060, funded by compensatory funds from the Creamfields festival, £1000 from the Stronger Together fund, and Parish Council funding. The clear benefits of the project will last for many years to come, from improving the aesthetics of the neighbourhood, to helping combat climate change, and enhancing the area's sense of community by getting people working together.

Read more...

Volunteer groups and schools have benefited from 7,000 new trees to store carbon and fight climate change in 2009/10 thanks to a partnership between The Mersey Forest and Foundation.

Foundation is a climate fund for the Northwest which uses donations from businesses, individuals and other organisations to support community-based carbon reduction projects across the region.

Working with The Mersey Forest, Foundation funding of more than £10,000 has enabled tree planting and other environmental improvements at 30 sites across the Forest area, with volunteers and families involved in planting events to get the whole community involved.

Read more...

The Mersey Forest has provided support for wildflower planting in Great Sankey along the important A57 gateway into the town. The planting formed part of Warrington Council's borough-wide wildflower programme, helping local communities to brighten their neighbourhoods and improve biodiversity.

Cllr Trudi Wood, representing Great Sankey North, said: "This has been hugely popular. Usually my phone lights up when something has gone wrong but people have been going out of their way to thank me for these beautiful flowers. I am very grateful to The Mersey Forest for funding this project."

The project is a good example of the greening of local neighbourhoods that takes place thanks to The Mersey Forest - with two thirds of residents confirming in a recent survey that they have seen their local environment improve in the last decade. Read more about the survey results.

Read more...

Two thirds of local people have seen an improvement in their environment over the past decade, a recent survey shows.

More than 65% of residents remarked on the increase in woodlands, street trees and other habitats in a poll by The Mersey Forest - with a 'supporter drive' being launched to ensure that the greening of Merseyside and Cheshire continues to go from strength to strength.

Councillor Richard Short, Executive Member for Culture and Recreation said: "As a core partner in The Mersey Forest managing some 40 country parks, the council is delighted to see the hard work to green our neighbourhoods being recognised by local people. The best news of all is that as the young trees and woodlands mature and as even more are planted, the benefits for people, wildlife and the economy will become even greater."

The survey found that more than 90% of people support having a Community Forest in their area, and The Mersey Forest is now harnessing this public backing through its new 'supporters' initiative.

Launched in June 2010, at the time of writing already nearly 900 members of the public have signed up as supporters of the Forest, to show their appreciation for the greening of their neighbourhoods and to keep in touch with the latest news and green events to get involved in.

To find out more or to become a supporter, visit www.merseyforest.org.uk/things-to-do/support-us-its-free.

Read more...

The Mersey Forest is contributing to and learning from green infrastructure best practice at a European level while also developing training for local community groups at home.

The Mersey Forest and sister project Red Rose Forest (both working on behalf of the Northwest Regional Development Agency) are now part of the European Green and Blue Space Adaptation for Urban Areas and Eco Towns (GRaBS) project.

This has allowed the Forests to continue their work exploring the potential for green infrastructure (what is this?) to mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts, whilst enabling them to work with experts from across Europe to learn best practice and collaborate on solutions to similar challenges.

The Mersey Forest is also one of 21 European partners in ForeStClim, an EU-funded forestry and climate change project that runs until December 2012.

As part of the GRaBS project, The Mersey Forest has developed a draft action plan now open for consultation entitled: 'Green Infrastructure to Combat Climate Change: Action Plan for Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside'.

The consultation will run until 29th October with workshops also being held. The aim is to complete the final action plan by the end of 2010, with a key challenge being to embed the action plan in newly emerging structures.

Read more...

If your car has bitten the dust and needs to be scrapped, you can now dispose of it sustainably, speedily and for free with Give A Car, a social enterprise who donate £80 towards tree planting in The Mersey Forest for each car they receive.

Give A Car arranges for the completely free pick-up and disposal or auction of your vehicle, and a donation generated from the sale or scrap of the car is then directed to your chosen registered charity, The Mersey Forest. Every car that is disposed of through the scheme is recycled to high environmental standards and could raise an average of £80 for tree planting in the local area.

Rachael Featherstone donated her car with Give A Car and said: "It was so easy, completely hassle free and everyone was so helpful, I'd recommend it to anyone looking to get rid of their old car."

To donate your car, simply fill in the quick and easy form on the Give A Car website, or call 0200 011 1664 and quote The Mersey Forest as your chosen charity.

Read more...

The Forest Park for the area of nature reserves, green spaces and bird-watching locations that lie between Runcorn-Widnes bridge and Warrington has taken further strides forward with appointment of Artery of Life Officer Anthony Brandreth, who started work at the end of 2009.

This is the Natural England's Access to Nature funded post for the next four years working across both Halton and Warrington, particularly with secondary schools. Some of the work is to help deliver some physical improvements on the ground, starting with Gatewarth in Warrington, and then looking at a new wetland reserve for Manor Park in Runcorn. Anthony's main role is to put people in touch with local sites and nature and provide people with opportunities for getting involved in the environment and to foster ownership of local sites.

The principle aim is to use the Mersey Estuary to encourage more people to understand, appreciate and enjoy the outdoors. The funding will be particularly targeted at engaging secondary school pupils and the over-60s.

Read more...

Work is underway to transform a derelict section of the Woolston New Cut Canal and create an urban ecology park on neighbouring under-used land.

The 400m stretch of the canal, owned by Peel, has lain derelict for decades, with contamination of the silt within the canal bed making affordable options for its rehabilitation very limited.

Green compost and recycled materials are being used as part of an innovative solution which followed a long period of behind-the-scenes work by partners including Warrington Borough Council, Peel, the Environment Agency, Liverpool John Moores University, and funders WRAP and the NWDA's REVIVE initiative.

The ecology park is being created on Council land adjacent to the canal and will link to the neighbouring Paddington Meadows Local Nature Reserve.

The project will be completed this summer, and will be promoted nationally by WRAP as a demonstration project showing the benefits of using compost in an innovative way.

Access to the site will be improved and interpretative information provided for the area. Following completion, monitoring of soil samples will be carried out by the university for several years, local groundwater will be monitored by consultants, and the site will be managed as part of the borough's urban green space network.

Read more...

Individuals, community groups and businesses across The Mersey Forest could switch to wood fuel to heat their buildings thanks to the financially attractive incoming Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).

The Department of Energy and Climate Change scheme will come into force in April 2011 and will provide annual payments for 15 years to those using green heating oil, biomass, ground source heat pumps and other low carbon heating technologies.

In the North West, The Mersey Forest is using its expertise in the wood fuel sector to advise on the ways in which the RHI will change the energy landscape.

The Forest Team is producing a report for St.Helens Council on the potential roll out of biomass boilers and the extent to which wood fuel can be grown within the borough. In Cheshire and Warrington, the Forest is working with the Northwest Regional Development Agency and the Cheshire & Warrington Economic Alliance to contact businesses not connected to mains gas that have the most to benefit from the RHI.

Read more...

More and more local children are re-connecting with nature and receiving an enriched education thanks to the success of the Forest School programme run by The Mersey Forest which is inspiring schools across Cheshire West and Chester, Halton and Warrington.

Forest Schools is an approach which has been practiced in Scandinavia since the 1950s and involves regular outdoor lessons in woodland environments. It has been shown to improve children's confidence and self-esteem as well as rebuilding youngsters' affinity with the natural environment.

The Mersey Forest has been encouraging Forest Schools to be set up in the local area through the creation of a new Cheshire-wide Forest School cluster group (which includes Halton and Warrington) supported by the Forest Education Initiative.

In Halton, The Mersey Forest Team has met with six Runcorn schools to propose the benefits of using their school sites for Forest School, and soon a number of the schools will have trained Forest School Leaders to help establish Forest Schools.

With funding from Natural England, we have also been working with schools, including Westfield and Windmill Hill Primarys and Cavendish Special School, to enhance their sites through wildflower seed sowing, tree planting and use and manage natural materials.

Forest School sessions are also taking place at a number of Cheshire schools including Kingsmead Primary and Hartford Manor Community Primary in Northwich and Christchurch Primary in Ellesmere Port.

In February, Halton's elected member for The Mersey Forest, Cllr Steff Nelson, and MP Derek Twigg visited Westfield to see the Forest School project, and Natural England visited Windmill Hill with MP Mike Hall to see their newly developed woodland area. The school has won a People's Millions award of £50,000 to develop the area further and link it to the neighbouring Woodland Trust site.
 

With funding from Natural England another three independent Forest School Leaders have been trained to spread the message and get delivering the curriculum outdoors.

The Mersey Forest Team has also met with Cheshire West and Chester's Ranger Service to propose the benefits of using green Council sites for Forest School. Soon the rangers will have a trained Forest School Leader to help groups establish Forest Schools.

Read more...

Alongside The Mersey Forest's successful record of drawing in funding for public and private landowners to create woodland through the Forestry Commission's EWGS scheme (£285,000 in the last year alone), a further opportunity to create woodlands in the local area has been launched.

The Forest is teaming up with The Woodland Trust to promote the Trust's new MOREwoods project.

The Mersey Forest will plug into its unparalleled links with landowners across Merseyside and North Cheshire to encourage the uptake of the MOREwoods scheme to create native woodland on our doorsteps throughout 2010 and beyond.

The new woodlands will themselves also create excellent value for the region, helping to boost people's health, improve the image of our towns and cities and help adapt the landscape to climate change.

Read more...

Working with The Mersey Forest, thousands of people have got involved in tree planting this season to improve their local environment.

From November 2009 to March 2010 the Forest has been busy with a whole range of planting schemes including school grounds improvements, Forest School creation and enhancement both within and outside school grounds, planting on village greens and projects with faith groups, our Friends of the Woodland groups and a fire station to name but a few.

During National Tree Week in November and December, groups across The Mersey Forest took part in the nationwide BBC co-ordinated Tree O'Clock world record planting attempt (see this report from our Christmas newsletter), with one event alone mustering an impressive 170 trees in just 28 minutes with help from parents and nursery children.

All of this activity means that by the end of March we will have planted over 10 hectares (an area the size of 14 football pitches) including trees for open areas, trees for hedgerows and fruit trees.

This would not have been possible without funding from Foundation (a climate fund for the Northwest), the Last Call project at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Cory Environmental Trust and Natural England.

Read more...

New street trees for local communities in Merseyside and North Cheshire are helping to improve people's health, combat climate change and brighten neighbourhoods thanks to the latest projects by The Mersey Forest's Green Streets programme.

In south St.Helens, where over 100 street trees have already been planted in the borough's Bold and Parr estates, ambitious plans have been announced for a new Green Streets delivery in order to meet the ever-increasing demand for street trees in the area.

In nearby Haydock, 55 street and hedgerow trees have been planted to enhance a busy gateway to St.Helens and to improve the image for investment in two business parks.

Communities in Seaforth in Sefton are also set to benefit, with 30 new street trees being planted in a project that has enabled local residents to be at the heart of improving their neighbourhood's environment.

The trees will fulfill the vision of Seaforth Residents Action Group whose members wanted street trees along their high street to link residential areas to local green space and shops.

To read more about these projects, including the range of funders and partners involved in making these achievements possible, visit these case studies:

Green Streets in south St.Helens and Haydock

Green Streets in Seaforth

Read more...

Communities in the Northwest are £2m per year better off thanks to new woodlands created by just one of The Mersey Forest's funding streams.

Research was carried out by Regeneris Consulting into the economic impact of Mersey Forest projects funded by the European Union's Merseyside Objective One programme.

The study looked at a range of benefits that result from the new green spaces (like fresh air and exercise) and then developed a model that put a monetary value on each one.

Top of the list, with a value of more than £900,000 a year across the region, is the benefit of having a woodland view, either from home or on a regular journey, such as the daily commute to work.

The Forest also brings great advantages in terms of health and wellbeing. Tree planting reduces air pollution - which can contribute to asthma and strokes, for example - and this was calculated to bring benefits worth over £100,000 a year.

In total over the next 50 years, the £7m Objective One funding (which has now ended) will generate an extra £70m of benefits.

Click to read the full report.

Read more...

The impact of a green infrastructure prospectus commissioned by Community Forests North West (the charity supporting The Mersey Forest, Red Rose Forest and Pennine Edge Forest) and Natural England, has been recognised at the Landscape Institute Awards 2009.

Awarding the Landscape Policy prize to the Liverpool and Manchester City Region Green Infrastructure Prospectus, judges said that since its launch in 2005 the document "has had a major effect on national and regional policy and advocacy and has made a real difference."

The prospectus by consultants TEP set the context and identified the priorities for improving the planning and delivery of green infrastructure in the Liverpool and Manchester City Regions. At a time when green infrastructure was a less-familiar concept than it is now, the project presented a vision for the city regions that placed environmental improvements alongside built development: at the core of delivering sustainable communities and quality of life.

Four years on, green infrastructure is now embedded in the Regional Spatial Strategy, we have a North West Green Infrastructure guide and website, both Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region are now developing green infrastructure frameworks, and the green infrastructure approach is informing regeneration initiatives across the region.

As a result the prospectus's key commitments and recommendations to combat shortfalls in policy and action have now all either been achieved or are underway - with a new set of priorities now emerging for the decade to come.

Read more...

Volunteers and community groups from across The Mersey Forest teamed up this month for a Guinness World Record attempt to plant as many trees as possible in one hour across multiple locations.

The BBC Breathing Places event saw The Friends of Griffin Wood (check out their new blog) team up with St.Helens' Ramblers to plant over 100 trees at Griffin Wood, the Friends of Anderton and Marbury plant 80 trees (report here), and Speke's Friends of Mill Wood and Alder Wood collaborating with Lancashire Wildlife Trust to plant 400 trees.

With further tree planting happening at Church Wood in Whitegate, Cheshire, and at Kentmere Avenue allotments, St.Helens, all involved are waiting with baited breath to see if the current record of 653,000 trees nationwide has been broken.

At the time of writing, the final totals are still being feverishly calculated at BBC HQ, so keep an eye on the Tree O'Clock website for the latest news.

Read more...

Children and their families are reconnecting with nature thanks to the Forest's new Natural Play programme.

The project combats children's increasing isolation from the natural world arising from greatly reduced freedom to roam and society's increased fear of risk. By helping children to discover their natural environment The Mersey Forest is:

> rebuilding children's appreciation of nature
> providing an enriched education
> encouraging sociable, healthy & active lifestyles
> helping families spend more time playing together outdoors

Read more...

The Mersey Forest has worked in partnership with Warrington-based electrical company Premium Appliance Brands to transform a local school's grounds for the benefit of pupils and the environment alike.

The company, based in Centre Park near Bank Quay station, funded the project at St.Benedict's RC Primary School to mark the start of their 'green' drive to become the first carbon neutral white goods company in the UK.

The project was coordinated by The Mersey Forest, and saw the creation of a healthy garden for the school, featuring raised flowerbeds and paths, a wildflower meadow area and sensory plants of lavender, rosemary and thyme.

Cllr Mike Biggin, Warrington Borough Council's member for The Mersey Forest, was also involved in the project, visiting the school to help pupils plant a selection of fruit trees to complete the school's green makeover.

Read more...

The Mersey Forest continues to play a key role in the region's response to climate change. As part of the North West Climate Change Action Plan we are exploring, together with Manchester's Red Rose Forest, the potential for green infrastructure to mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts in North West England.

Green infrastructure is the network of green and blue spaces within and between our cities, towns and villages. It can help to both reduce levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (climate change mitigation) and to enable us to better cope with climate impacts that are now already inevitable (climate change adaptation).

Green infrastructure can help reduce greenhouse gases through the production of biofuels to replace fossil fuels; the production of timber to replace materials with higher embedded energy; local food production reducing 'food miles'; carbon storage and sequestration (the 'locking up' of carbon dioxide within plants); and providing local recreation opportunities and alternative transport corridors which reduce the need to travel by car.

In the UK where climate projections suggest warmer wetter winters and hotter drier summers, with more extreme events such as heatwaves, droughts and heavy rainfall the adaptation role of green infrastructure is perhaps more significant. It includes: managing urban temperatures to ensure that towns and cities continue to be attractive and comfortable places to live, work, visit and invest; reducing flood risk and managing surface water; allowing wildlife to move northwards to new 'climate spaces' through a better connected landscape; providing resources for a more outdoors lifestyle, and helping to divert pressure from landscapes which are sensitive to climate change.

Read more...

Local authorities could save significant money by installing biomass boilers to heat buildings using woodfuel, in the face of a new mandatory emissions reduction scheme which will impose financial penalties on local Councils for excessive carbon emissions.

The Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) comes into force in April 2010, and aims to reduce carbon emissions in large non-energy intensive organisations such as local authorities by 1.2 million tonnes of carbon per year by 2020, with an initial price per tonne of £12 to be charged.

It is estimated that an authority the size of Liverpool City Council could have to pay £50,000 for the heating of its primary schools alone if they remain heated by fossil fuels.

Organisations will be ranked in a publicly viewable league table with the prospect of either financial loss or gain, dependent upon their emissions reduction performance.

With transport emissions excluded from the scheme, heating will be one of the main factors affecting how local authorities will perform. One of the best ways to reduce this area of Councils' emissions is to switch to biomass boilers which create heat by using replenishable wood as fuel.

This path is already being followed by several schools in the Forest area as part of the Building Schools for the Future programme, with the schools installing biomass boilers to reduce their carbon footprint for heating to virtually nil.

To read more about the Carbon Reduction Commitment, see the Department for Energy & Climate Change's introduction to the CRC.

To talk to The Mersey Forest about biomass heating, contact Nigel Blandford on 01925 816217 or at nigel.blandford@merseyforest.org.uk.

Read more...

Culcheth is set to benefit from a new woodland the size of five football pitches, to be planted at Ratcliffe House Farm at the eastern edge of the village.

The new woodland will not only provide excellent habitats for wildlife, as it grows it will also come to provide a sustainable woodfuel resource for the farm house. The woodland will be harvested using a technique known as coppicing on a regular cycle every 10 to 12 years to provide a continual supply of wood for the fire, aiming to make the owners self-sufficient in woodfuel. The main species that will be planted include ash and hazel which both respond excellently to coppicing.

The 3.9 hectares of woodland will be part funded by the Forestry Commission's woodland creation grant, and will be publicly accessible via a proposed 370-metre permissive footpath, extending an existing Public Right of Way.

The Mersey Forest has been heavily involved in making the new woodland possible. The Mersey Forest Team liaised with the landowner throughout the development of the scheme, providing information on available grants, developing maps of the layout of the proposed planting, advising on species choice, liaising with Forestry Commission woodland officers and submitting the successful Forestry Commission grant applications on the landowners' behalf.

Read more...

The development of a Forest Park for the area of nature reserves, green spaces and bird-watching locations that lie between Runcorn-Widnes bridge and Warrington has taken further strides forward with £200,000 funding secured.

A successful joint application between Warrington Borough Council and Halton Borough Council to the Access to Nature fund will enable greater interaction between the communities and the nature on their doorstep.

The principle aim is to use the Mersey Estuary to encourage more people to understand, appreciate and enjoy the outdoors. The funding will be particularly targeted at engaging secondary school pupils and the over-60s.

Other initiatives are also taking shape which will be complementary to the Forest Park. The Environment Agency is part of the partnership developing the Mersey Life project, as is Cheshire Wildlife Trust with their Living Landscapes. Consultants have been looking at the creation of a greenway along the Manchester Ship Canal and further work is on-going regarding way marking, signage and interpretation.

Read more...

More than 2,000 local people have received training in how to restore the natural environment thanks to The Mersey Forest's Green Bridge project which reached completion at the start of 2009.

Over a three-year period, The Mersey Forest provided materials, advice and training costs to help local people implement projects across the Forest area that they had identified as contributing towards the restoration of natural heritage.

For example, in Cheshire West and Chester nearly 40 people got involved at Dutton Park to install 20 bird boxes and 10 bat boxes, and at The Russet School in Weaverham more than 70 people helped create new wildlife habitats for frogs, newts, hedgehogs and birds.

From an original target of 200 people trained, the Green Bridge project in fact succeeded in training 2,200 happy volunteers across a total of 161 training events.

Over 8,000 trees were planted including new woodland areas and hedgerow, wildflower areas totaling the size of a football pitch were created, and four ponds were created or restored. These were just some of the highlights achieved from a £25,000 grant secured by The Mersey Forest from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Additional match funds of £22,000 were provided through volunteer in kind time and other sources.

An exciting legacy of the project has been the production of a range of habitat guidance leaflets for communities in The Mersey Forest area on topics identified by Green Bridge volunteers including planting and caring for trees, creating ponds and planting hedgerows.

The free guides can be viewed, downloaded or printed here.

Read more...

May's 'Walk in the Woods' month in The Mersey Forest brought together over 60 guided woodland walks taking place across the region to encourage residents to get out and enjoy the many benefits of green exercise.

The Mersey Forest's dedicated mini-website promoting the range of guided walks on offer was named Digital Campaign of the Week by the national Third Sector magazine, and linked in with key local initiatives including health walk groups and Liverpool's Challenge, the campaign to help residents lose one million pounds of weight.

The month of guided walks - from an ascent of the highest point in Merseyside, Billinge Hill, to wildlife-focused dawn chorus walks - formed part of the national Walk in the Woods campaign, coordinated by The Tree Council.

The walks in The Mersey Forest area were organised by a wide range of partners including the Forest's seven local authorities, the Forestry Commission, local Primary Care Trusts, the National Wildflower Centre, Frodsham Town Council, Cheshire Wildlife Trust and local community groups.

The importance of getting people to use their green spaces for exercise is well documented. Research shows that as well as being beneficial for our mental health, green spaces can help reduce the 'health gap' between rich and poor, with a particularly strong impact on reducing heart disease and strokes.

Read more...