Urmston Meadows, Trafford – Boosting Biodiversity

We want to improve the network of ditches and ponds in Urmston Meadows, a much loved local green space, to create quality green infrastructure to support Greater Manchester’s biodiversity action plan for water voles. The ditches and ponds that permanently hold water in Urmston Meadows could provide an ideal habitat for water voles, but the network is shaded by tree and scrub growth and the ditches have silted up.

Water voles need areas of open water around 1m deep, this could be achieved by removing areas of silt and choking emergent vegetation such as reed mace. Scrub clearance, hedge laying, crown lifting of trees and pollarding mature trees will allow more light into the ditches. Creating a new pond and surface urban drainage system with sluice will help clean the water entering the network.

As well as capital works we will involve local schools and volunteers, encouraging local people to engage with the environment and providing training so that they can help maintain it.