Protecting Wildlife Havens

What is it?

Protecting Wildlife Havens is a county-wide programme to manage, expand and connect Cheshire’s nature reserves so they can support wildlife recovery and provide more opportunities for people to experience nature.

Cheshire Wildlife Trust manages a network of nature reserves that act as refuges for rare and declining species and demonstrate how nature can recover with sustained care, monitoring and management. These sites are actively managed through practical conservation work including invasive species control, habitat restoration and ecological monitoring.

The project will maintain existing reserves in favourable condition, strategically expand and buffer key sites, improve habitat connectivity and support species recovery. It also includes the ambition to establish a large-scale rewilding site where natural processes can drive ecological restoration.

Why is this needed? / Why are we doing this?

Habitats across Cheshire are under pressure from loss, fragmentation, climate change and inappropriate management.

Even well-managed reserves can decline without continued intervention. Isolated sites also struggle to sustain wildlife populations unless they are connected to the wider landscape

This project has been developed to strengthen Cheshire’s nature reserve network by ensuring habitats remain in favourable condition while expanding, buffering and connecting sites to create a more resilient ecological network.

Public access is also an important part of the programme, helping people engage with and benefit from nature.

What is it going to deliver?

By 2030, the project will deliver:

• Management of more than 318 hectares of nature reserves in favourable condition
• Strategic land acquisition to expand the reserve network
• Buffering of existing reserves to reduce external pressures
• Improved habitat connectivity between wildlife-rich sites
• Practical conservation work including invasive species control
• Habitat restoration and ecological monitoring
• Support for rare and declining species
• Public access and engagement with nature
• Establishment of a large-scale rewilding site
• Stronger long-term ecological resilience across the reserve network

Re-Connecting Grasslands

What is it?

The Re-connecting Grasslands project is a county-wide habitat restoration programme focused on restoring and reconnecting species-rich wildflower meadows across Cheshire.

Around 99% of Cheshire’s species-rich grasslands have been lost since 1930 as a result of agricultural intensification, land-use change and urbanisation. The remaining habitats are often fragmented, vulnerable and in declining condition, placing pressure on specialist species including waxcap fungi, pollinating invertebrates, ground-nesting birds and rare native orchids.

The programme combines habitat restoration with long-term community stewardship. Delivery includes restoring and creating wildflower meadows using locally harvested seed from a donor meadow network, alongside developing sustainable management plans to ensure long-term ecological resilience.

Native wildflower species, including rare plants, are propagated through nurseries and community partnerships, while targeted species reintroductions help strengthen genetic diversity and prevent local extinction.

Why is this needed? / Why are we doing this?

Species-rich grasslands are among the UK’s most threatened habitats yet provide significant ecological and environmental benefits including pollinator support, carbon storage, soil health improvement and landscape resilience.

The loss and fragmentation of these habitats has weakened biodiversity networks across Cheshire and reduced opportunities for wildlife recovery.

This project has been developed to rebuild a resilient grassland network across the county while embedding communities, volunteers and landowners into long-term conservation and stewardship.

The programme also supports skills development, education and greater public connection to nature recovery.

What is it going to deliver?

By 2030, the project will deliver:

• Creation and restoration of approximately 200 hectares of species-rich grassland
• Engagement with at least 40 landowners and community groups
• Propagation of more than 200,000 native wildflower plug plants
• Training and education in meadow management and restoration
• Reintroduction of threatened native plant species
• Establishment of locally resilient meadow networks
• Community and volunteer participation in seed harvesting and practical conservation
• Improved habitat connectivity for pollinators and specialist grassland species
• Long-term biodiversity and ecosystem resilience across Cheshire

The project aims to establish a connected and resilient grassland network that supports wildlife, ecosystem services and community stewardship.

LNRS Priorities and Actions / LNP Goals:

LNRS reintroductions supported through the project include:

• Silver-studded blue butterfly

This project aligns with the following Cheshire Local Nature Partnership goals: 

Re-connecting Woodlands and Hedgerows

What is it?

The Re-connecting Woodlands and Hedgerows project is a county-wide habitat restoration and landscape connectivity programme focused on restoring, creating and reconnecting Cheshire’s native woodlands and hedgerows.

Ancient woodland and hedgerow networks across Cheshire have been significantly impacted by agricultural intensification, development and historic land management changes, leaving many habitats fragmented and degraded. Important native species including black poplar, wych elm and wild service tree are now locally rare or declining. 

The project will establish new high-biodiversity woodland and hedgerow habitats while improving the condition and long-term management of existing landscapes. Delivery includes a combination of tree planting, natural regeneration and habitat management planning designed to strengthen ecological resilience and improve landscape-scale connectivity. 

Why is this needed? / Why are we doing this?

Woodlands and hedgerows play a critical role in supporting biodiversity, storing carbon, improving water resilience and connecting fragmented habitats across the landscape. 

Many of Cheshire’s woodland habitats are isolated or in declining condition, reducing their ecological value and weakening the movement corridors needed for wildlife recovery. At the same time, important native tree species and woodland flora are at risk of local decline or extinction. 

The project has been developed to strengthen Cheshire’s ecological network while supporting climate resilience, biodiversity recovery and community stewardship. 

What is it going to deliver?

By 2030, the project will deliver: 

• Creation of approximately 150 hectares of new woodland
• Improvement and restoration of approximately 250 hectares of existing woodland
• Creation and restoration of hedgerow networks
• Propagation and reintroduction of rare native species
• Locally sourced native tree and woodland flora planting
• Long-term woodland and hedgerow management plans
• Advice and engagement for landowners
• Community and volunteer involvement in habitat restoration
• Traditional conservation skills including seed harvesting and propagation
• Improved biodiversity connectivity and ecosystem resilience 

The project aims to create a better connected, climate-resilient landscape that supports both wildlife recovery and long-term environmental resilience across Cheshire. 

LNRS Priorities and Actions / LNP Goals:

LNRS priority species supported through the project include: 

• Willow tit
• White-letter hairstreak butterfly
• Common clubtail dragonfly 

This project aligns with all four of the Cheshire Local Nature Partnership goals: 

Re-connecting Wetland and Peatland

What is it?

The Re-connecting Wetland and Peatland project is a large-scale restoration programme focused on restoring Cheshire’s rivers, floodplains, wetlands and peatland systems to improve ecological resilience and reconnect natural water processes across the landscape. 

Over many decades, drainage, channelisation and land-use change have degraded these habitats, disconnecting rivers from floodplains, draining peatlands and reducing the extent of ponds, reedbeds and wet grasslands. This has contributed to habitat fragmentation, increased flood risk, declining water quality and reduced carbon storage. 

The project will restore natural hydrological processes through river restoration, wetland creation, floodplain reconnection and natural flood management interventions designed to improve resilience for both people and nature. 

Why is this needed? / Why are we doing this?

Wetlands and peatlands are critical natural infrastructure assets that support biodiversity, water management and carbon storage. 

Historic drainage and river engineering have weakened the landscape’s ability to naturally manage water, increasing pressure on communities, infrastructure and ecosystems. At the same time, important wetland species have experienced significant habitat loss and fragmentation. 

This project has been developed to restore resilient water landscapes across Cheshire while supporting flood resilience, wildlife recovery and long-term environmental sustainability. 

The programme also supports evidence building for natural flood management and the future re-establishment of wild beaver populations in Cheshire. 

What is it going to deliver?

By 2030, the project will deliver: 

• Floodplain reconnection projects
• River restoration and in-channel modifications
• Natural flood management interventions
• Restoration and creation of ponds, reedbeds and wet grasslands
• Wet woodland creation
• Peatland restoration and improved hydrological resilience
• Advice and engagement for landowners on wetland management
• Riparian planting and improved land management
• Support for wetland species recovery
• Establishment of a wild beaver population in at least one Cheshire catchment
• Improved carbon storage, biodiversity and water resilience 

The overall ambition is to reconnect Cheshire’s wetland landscapes, restore natural water systems and create resilient habitats that benefit both wildlife and communities. 

LNRS Priorities and Actions / LNP Goals:

LNRS priority species supported through the project include: 

• Water vole
• Lesser silver water beetle
• Mud snail
• Lapwing
• Atlantic salmon
• White-clawed crayfish
• Common clubtail dragonfly 
• Desmoulin’s whorl snail 

LNRS reintroductions supported through the project include: 

• Beaver 
• Large heath butterfly 

This project aligns with the following Cheshire Local Nature Partnership goals: