Biodiversity
| LDF Core Indicator | Local Authority Position |
|---|---|
| E2: Change in areas of biodiversity importance | |
| i) change in priority habitats; and | See text below |
| ii) change in areas designated for their intrinsic environmental value including sites of international, national, regional, sub-regional or local significance | 65.4 hectare increase |
3.38 The 65.4 hectare increase shown above is very welcomed and shows an increase of more than two and a half times that of last years figure of 24.7 hectares. The majority of this increase has come from two sites: firstly the designation of an area of wetland at the Three Sisters Country Park, Ashton, as a Site of Biological Importance and secondly, an extension to our Site of Biological Importance at Pennington in Leigh.
3.39 Change in priority habitats are as follows:
- Reedbed habitat management has continued at Wigan Flashes and Abram Flashes with a total of 72 hectares now subject to ongoing management.
- Construction of 1km of bund at Astley and Bedford Moss has led to the re-wetting of 11 hectares of mossland habitat.
- Wet Woodland habitat works began in 2009/2010 particularly to improve the habitat for Willow Tit. A total of 6 hectares has been managed with this species in mind.
- The acquisition of 17 hectares of wet grassland habitat at Lightshaw Meadows during 2009/2010 will allow this habitat to be brought into management during 2010/2011.