Cheshire and Warrington Forestry Cooperative

What is it?

The Cheshire and Warrington Forestry Cooperative is a three-year initiative to support more sustainable, nature-positive woodland management by developing a local timber market across Cheshire, Warrington and neighbouring Flintshire.

Around 66% of Cheshire and Warrington’s woodlands are currently unmanaged. This creates a major opportunity to bring woodlands back into positive management in a way that benefits biodiversity, supports local markets and creates economic value from woodland products.

The initiative will explore how a local timber market can incentivise woodland management, support forestry products for local use and encourage more nature-positive approaches to woodland creation and restoration. It also has the potential to inform future planning policy, including opportunities for new developments to source local timber or forestry products where appropriate.

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

Unmanaged woodland can lose ecological value over time, particularly where there is limited active management for biodiversity, resilience, access or sustainable timber production.

At the same time, woodland creation grants and growing interest in nature-based solutions create a timely opportunity to connect woodland management with local economic benefits.

This project has been developed to re-establish woodland management, support local forestry markets, diversify income opportunities for local authorities and landowners, and improve biodiversity across the woodland network.

Carefully managed local forestry can help nature thrive while supporting practical economic outputs and future sustainable development.

What is it going to deliver?

The programme will deliver:

• Development of a local timber market alongside Flintshire
• Support for more sustainable and nature-positive woodland management
• Re-establishment of active management in currently unmanaged woodlands
• Greater availability of local forestry products
• Support for local markets and potential future housing supply chains
• Biodiversity improvements through better woodland management
• New income opportunities for local authorities and landowners
• Stronger links between woodland creation, management and local economic value
• Exploration of planning policy opportunities linked to local sourcing

Restoring the Sandstone Ridge and Delamere

What is it?

Restoring the Sandstone Ridge and Delamere is a landscape-scale restoration programme focused on reconnecting and restoring one of Cheshire’s most distinctive ecological landscapes.

The Sandstone Ridge and Delamere landscape includes rolling hills, ancient woodland, heathland and internationally important meres and mosses. Historic drainage, plantation forestry, nutrient enrichment and habitat fragmentation have left important species and habitats isolated and vulnerable.

Cheshire Wildlife Trust is delivering a long-term programme to restore peatland systems, reconnect fragmented habitats and strengthen ecological resilience across the “Living Ridge” landscape. The project includes heathland restoration, mossland recovery, acid grassland creation and targeted habitat management to support species recovery and movement.

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

The Sandstone Ridge and Delamere landscape contains nationally and internationally important habitats that play a critical role in biodiversity, carbon storage, water regulation and ecological connectivity.

Habitat fragmentation and degradation have reduced the resilience of species including White-faced Darter dragonflies, native reptiles and water vole populations.

This project has been developed to restore ecological connectivity across the landscape while strengthening climate resilience, biodiversity recovery and long-term habitat management.

The programme also supports future species reintroductions and improved management of protected sites.

What is it going to deliver?

By 2030, the project will deliver:

• Restoration and improvement of ten mossland sites
• Heathland, scrub and acid grassland creation
• Habitat corridors across Delamere Forest
• Mossland and peatland restoration
• White-faced Darter dragonfly recovery
• Habitat corridors supporting reptile movement
• Protection of key sites through Local Wildlife Site designation
• Additional land brought into conservation management
• Improved ecological connectivity across the “Living Ridge”
• Increased resilience for internationally important meres and mosses

The programme aims to create a connected and resilient landscape where habitats are in good condition, species can move freely and ecosystem services are strengthened.

Restoring the Pennine Fringe

What is it?

Restoring the Pennine Fringe is a landscape-scale upland restoration programme focused on creating a connected and resilient landscape across Cheshire’s upland fringe where wildlife, farming and natural processes can thrive together.

The Pennine Fringe landscape includes steep-sided cloughs, heather moorland, fast-flowing streams and ancient hay meadows. Decades of agricultural intensification, peatland drainage and habitat loss have reduced biodiversity, weakened water resilience and increased flooding and poor water quality downstream.

Cheshire Wildlife Trust is leading a long-term programme to restore habitats and natural hydrology across the uplands through agroforestry, natural flood management and habitat restoration. The project builds on more than 20 years of experience working with landowners and communities across the landscape.

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

The Pennine Fringe plays an important role in water regulation, carbon storage, biodiversity and downstream flood resilience across Cheshire.

Historic land management changes have fragmented habitats, reduced species diversity and weakened the landscape’s ability to naturally manage water and store carbon. Important upland species, including breeding wading birds such as curlew and lapwing, have experienced significant declines.

This project has been developed to restore ecological function across the uplands while supporting sustainable farming, improving water quality and strengthening resilience to climate change.

What is it going to deliver?

By 2030, the project will deliver:

• Restoration and creation of peatland habitats
• Native woodland creation and expansion
• Wetland creation including ponds and scrapes
• Restoration of botanically rich species-rich grasslands
• Habitat connectivity between fragmented upland habitats
• Agroforestry and sustainable land management support
• Improved nesting and foraging habitat for wading birds
• Natural flood management interventions
• Improved water quality and hydrological resilience
• Land acquisition to create larger cohesive habitat areas
• Increased biodiversity and climate resilience

The programme aims to restore a resilient upland landscape that delivers environmental, hydrological and farming benefits together.

Restoring the Gowy Catchment

What is it?

The Restoring the Gowy Catchment project is a large-scale river restoration and floodplain recovery programme focused on returning the River Gowy in west Cheshire to a more naturally functioning river system.

Over the last century, the river has been straightened, deepened and disconnected from its floodplain, losing approximately 7km of its natural length along with significant areas of wetland habitat including reedbeds, wet grasslands, pools and scrapes. This has reduced biodiversity, weakened natural flood resilience and diminished the river’s ability to improve water quality and store carbon.

Cheshire Wildlife Trust is leading work to reconnect the river to its floodplain through back channel restoration, removal of artificial barriers and reinstatement of natural river processes. The project builds on more than 30 years of partnership working in the catchment, during which over 400 hectares of habitat have already been restored with more than 50 farmers and landowners.

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

The River Gowy catchment faces increasing pressure from habitat fragmentation, flooding, poor water quality and climate-related environmental change. Historic river engineering and drainage interventions have reduced the landscape’s natural ability to manage water and support wildlife.

This project has been developed to restore ecological function across the catchment while reducing downstream flood risk and improving resilience for communities, landowners and infrastructure.

The programme also supports the recovery of priority species including water vole and tackles invasive non-native species such as American mink.

What is it going to deliver?

By 2030, the project will deliver:

• Three pioneer floodplain reconnection projects
• Restoration and creation of approximately 50 hectares of wetland habitat
• Land acquisition to expand long-term habitat management
• Guidance and engagement with landowners across approximately 2,000 hectares
• Reinstatement of natural river processes and floodplain function
• Improved water quality and natural flood management
• Species recovery initiatives including support for water vole populations
• Eradication and control measures for American mink
• Increased carbon storage and ecosystem resilience

The overall ambition is to create a resilient catchment where wildlife thrives, flood risk is reduced and communities benefit from stronger ecosystem services.

LNRS Priorities and Actions / LNP Goals:

LNRS priority species supported through the project include:

• Water vole
• Lapwing
• Mud snail
• Lesser silver water beetle

Hedgerow Recovery Programme

What is it?

A large-scale hedgerow restoration initiative addressing significant habitat loss across Cheshire, aimed at improving groundwater recharge and regional water resilience. 

The Hedgerow Recovery Programme is a large-scale habitat restoration initiative focused on the creation and restoration of hedgerows across Cheshire. 

The programme aims to restore approximately 500km of hedgerows to strengthen ecological connectivity, improve water resilience and support biodiversity recovery across rural landscapes. 

The initiative has been designed as a strategic regional response to historic hedgerow loss and increasing environmental resilience challenges.

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

Cheshire has experienced significant hedgerow loss over recent decades, reducing habitat connectivity, impacting biodiversity and weakening the landscape’s ability to manage water effectively. 

Hedgerows play a critical role in supporting pollinators, birds and wildlife movement while also improving soil health, reducing runoff and supporting groundwater recharge. 

The programme has been developed to create a scalable regional approach to hedgerow restoration that supports biodiversity, farming resilience and wider natural infrastructure objectives.

What is it going to deliver?

The programme will deliver: 

• Restoration and creation of approximately 500km of hedgerows
• Improved biodiversity and habitat connectivity
• Enhanced groundwater recharge and water infiltration
• Reduced runoff and improved water resilience
• Long-term carbon sequestration opportunities
• Biodiversity Net Gain hedgerow habitat creation
• Support for emerging hedgerow carbon markets
• Improved resilience across agricultural landscapes 

The programme also supports the development of future environmental markets linked to hedgerow carbon and natural capital investment. 

Intervention:

LNRS Priorities and Actions / LNP Goals:

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