District Licencing Scheme for Great Crested Newts across Cheshire

The heavy soils of the Cheshire plain lend themselves to holding water, and where there is standing water there is a pond. Ponds support an immense number of plants and animals. They are particularly good for invertebrates like the large red damselfly, common darter and broad-bodied chaser dragonflies, the rare lesser water measurer and the protected lesser silver water beetle.

Ponds are homes for amphibians including the protected great crested newt, common toad, smooth newt and palmate newt. Water voles burrow into their soft banks, and bats skim the water in search of insects. Birds, such as swans, moorhens and tufted ducks rely on ponds for feeding and nesting, while waders like lapwing, redshank and snipe probe the muddy margins for invertebrates.

Across Cheshire our extensive network of ponds proide vital stepping stones between isolated patches of habitat, linking up the countryside and allowing species to move about freely. Over the past 4 years Cheshire West & Chester Council and Cheshire Wildlife Trust have operated as delivery bodies for Natural England’s District Level Licensing Scheme to support developers paying for mitigation activities across the Cheshire landscape to help existing populations of Great Crested Newts to grow and thrive.

So far, over 250 ponds have been created, restored and are being monitored with the cooperation of more than 100 landowners throughout the county. The benefits of ponds and wetlands are far ranging in terms of ecosystem services. Some of these benefits can be monetised at, at least, £7329-10,750 per hectare per year when creating ponds on arable farmland.

Great Crested Newt

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Lindow Moss Landscape Recovery Project

Lindow Moss Landscape Partnership is a collective of community organisations, landowners, local authorities, academics and charitable organisations working together to conserve, restore and interpret the wider Lindow Moss Landscape.

Funding has been secured from a number of sources; including National Lottery Heritage Fund, Shared Prosperity Fund and Lowland Agricultural Peat Water Discovery Pilot towards a ten-year vision of a “landscape in recovery – for nature, for the climate and for our citizens”

The Lindow Moss Landscape

Signposts:

and further information:

Lindow Moss Landscape Partnership

Six aims underpin the vision:

Cultural Heritage – the Lindow Moss Landscape is internationally renowned for the discovery of Lindow Man, Britain’s most intact bog body, and 2024 is the 40 th anniversary of the discovery of the body. We will identify and map all features of importance and develop a plan to ensure their long-term conservation and interpretation.

Biodiversity and nature recovery – the Lindow Moss Landscape supports a complex mosaic of habitats including open water, reed, swamp, mire, heathland, grassland and woodland with opportunities to create and support a network of volunteers to undertake regular wildlife recording and habitat management.

Carbon Capture – identifying opportunities and threats to carbon capture and storage within the landscape, promoting sympathetic land use and agriculture.

Wellbeing and the visitor economy – Lindow provides a network of footpaths, ancient greenways, bridleways and tracks that criss-cross the landscape and provide a tranquil resource for local people and visitors to enjoy.. The Moss also connects into long distance routes including the Bollin Valley Way and the North Cheshire Way.

New skills for a greener economy – ensuring that the provision and dissemination of learning is central to all activities. Providing training for volunteers and employees in a variety of green skills to enhance employment opportunities and widen the pool of people able to support the green economy.

To place communities in the lead – ensuring that local people are involved in shaping and governing the direction of our work.

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Cheshire River Catchment Initiatives

Across Cheshire a range of LNP partners are taking action to help our rivers to become healthier, backed by water companies and other investors, tackling issues such as urban/rural diffuse pollution, invasive non-native species, bank erosion, barriers to specie passage and flood risk. The health of our rivers isn’t just important to nature’s recovery but enabling sustainable economic growth across the county.

The Weaver Gowy Catchment Partnership has a story map demonstrating projects with landowners making the difference across the the Dane, Gowy, Lower and Upper Weaver catchments. Most of these projects delivered through support from United Utilities and the Environment Agency.

Amongst several projects across Cheshire the Mersey Rivers Trust are working to help protect and improve water quality in Upper Weaver Catchment in Cheshire by working with farms in the Darley Brook, Ash Brook, Valley Brook and Englesea Brook catchments. Through conversations with farmers, and visits to farmyards and fields, Water Management Plans are created that will give recommendations and advice on new opportunities for managing surface water, runoff, slurry, livestock and more.

With Green Recovery Challenge Funding, other grants, and as part of the National Trust’s Riverlands Program a number of projects continue to be coordinated on the River Bollin, all aimed at building resilience; improving water quality, creating land that is more resilient to extreme weather events and ensuring our landscape is loved and cared for by generations to come. A wide range of partners are working together to ensure the catchment is healthy, clean, and rich in wildlife, managing invasive species and encouraging citizen science. Partners aim for the River Bollin valley to be easily accessed, valued, and loved for their heritage and beauty, and ensure the sustainable long- term care of the catchment.

The River Dee is a SAC and provides drinking water to approximately 3,000,000 people. Unfortunately, the river is failing to reach the standards required to contain flourishing wildlife and benefit local communities. There are a wide variety of stakeholders who are working to improve the health of the river, each with slightly different priorities and experience. The Middle Dee Catchment Partnership brings together these stakeholders to improve the local water environment for the benefit of wildlife and people in the Middle Dee Catchment area by working together to understand the issues, share information, resources, learning and evidence, and working collaboratively to ensure action on the ground is coordinated.

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