The Devisdale, Gate way to Cheshire.

The Devisdale is already a Site of Biological Importance (SBI) but is now aiming to become Trafford’s next Local Nature Reserve. Trafford Countryside’s management plan for the site seeks habitat enhancements to add diversity – including the creation of a pond and wetland and adding trees and gorse to provide nesting and feeding habitat for finches. BAP species targeted include Bullfinch, Reed Bunting and Song Thrush.

A Friends group for Denzell gardens and the Devisdale work with local communities to take part in direct action and study to make the most of the site and the habitats it supports.

In a recent £10,000 bid from Greening Greater Manchester, the friends and Trafford Parks and countryside have planted 1000 wild fruit trees with the help of 100 local school children. A wildlife pond was created and the surrounding wetland seeded with wildflowers which could best take advantage of the three new habitats created.

To help visitors to the site an interpretation board explaining the new habitats and what wildlife could be expected to take advantage has been designed by the friends.

Hedgerows are another very valuable habitat which has often been removed across the country however the on site gardeners have planted around 60 meters of new hedge along with plantings of gorse which should see a fantastic range of new birds making use of these new nesting sites such as Long tailed Tits building there minute nests from spiders webs and moss in the gorse.