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We want to restore wetland areas in the Carrs Park, Wilmslow. New ponds and scrapes will help native wildlife thrive. Everyone can get stuck in and help plant wildflowers and remove invasive species.
The Carrs is a well-loved parkland to where we walk, run, play, grab a coffee and hang out. We want to create new wetland areas and connect existing ponds, streams and ditches to make the best habitat for local wildlife. All manner of creatures can thrive in these new wetlands, such as newts, dragonflies, snails, mice, voles and birds, not to mention the native plant life that will benefit. We also want to remove invasive non-native species from the wet areas in the Carrs to give our wetland the best possible chance. There will be opportunities for everyone to get involved in planting new areas with wildflowers or plants, as well as controlling invasive species and recording any wildlife we find. Lots of new skills will be learned and new friends made, as well as wildlife protected.
What we'll deliver:
Why it's a great idea:
There are some small wetland areas in the Carrs, but by making them bigger and better, they will store carbon and slow the flow of water, cleaning it naturally and reducing flood risk. Wetlands support an abundance of plant, insect and mammal life life, which in turn provides shelter, food and breeding grounds for wildlife The River Bollin connects the Carrs to habitats as far away as Lymm and Macclesfield, and by giving native wetland wildlife a boost through this project, we will be helping to create corridors of habitats that animals and insects can move along. We will work alongside the community to improve wildlife habitat in The Carrs, and in doing so we will give skills building and learning opportunities to local residents, as well as a chance to meet new people and make new friends. All whilst improving the green spaces we all use on a daily basis.
Steps to get it done:
This project will also support a reduction in water pollution, provide climate change benefits by creating a bigger carbon sink, and also be a wonderful asset to a local parkland.
Gallery
Journey
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This morning we had some video footage sent to us clearly showing an otter rolling around on the grass very close to the River Bollin. The footage was taken a few miles away from where we will build the wetland...and is very exciting to show how the water quality and habitats of the Bollin are improving. You can find out more and view the video here: https://www.merseyrivers.org/index.php/news
I am super stoked to let you know that the pledges for this Wetland Project just keep rolling in.... We applied for £2,000 from the Wilmslow Town Council Green Community Fund to support the purchase of additional wetland plants and reeds to help our wetland really get going once it is dug, and we were awarded the grant today. I can't quote believe it! This is wonderful news and we are all so happy to have this extra funding in place so we can make the wetland even better and more species rich than we thought. Huge thanks to Wilmslow Town Council! I am getting meetings set up with Cheshire East Council this month. Cheshire East are very excited to have this project happening on their land, and we will start looking together at plans and designs so we can start construction work soon. Sal :)
So, it has been a whirlwind but we did it and have met our funding target! :) Thank you to all of you who have donated, and we are in a position to be able to do a little bit more with the extra funding that has been provided. The next steps are to get all the partners round the table to chat about the precise design of the wetland, how big, how deep and what plants and trees we want in it. I'll keep posting updates on here so you can see the wetland starting to take shape. Sal :)
I still can't quite believe that we have managed to smash our funding target and we will get to see this wetland created on the Carrs...it is truly amazing! More pledges have come in, which have resulted in £330 more than our target amount. This will be spent on a mini-open day when the wetland is created that everyone is invited to. If you haven't roped your friends and family into donating the time to do so is running out...every little still helps and we're grateful for every pound pledged. Thank you so much :)
We have reached our fundraising target, which is absolutely amazing!! Absolutely could not have done this without all your support, and every single pound pledged to this project thanks to our backers. Can't wait to get stuck in with our waders and creating a wonderful wetland habitat on the Carrs :)
Brilliant news, thanks everyone!
Well, this weekend was a very busy one in the Bollin Valley as we held our annual Bioblitz event at Riverside Park in Macclesfield. This event is all about getting local people connected to the wildlife and habitats on their doorstep. We had a day of River Safari, birds, butterflies, arts and crafts and pond dipping amongst other things. One of the spectacular species we found was the pictured Elephant Hawk Moth; absolutely stunning I'm sure you will agree. . The activities and refreshments at the Bioblitz were all free, as are most of the events we host at Mersey Rivers Trust, but we asked attendees if they could make a small donation to help us reach our fundraising target to create a wetland on the Carrs. And you responded so well with roughly £250 donated over the weekend! Thank you!! The creation of a bigger and better wetland on the Carrs will encourage more wildlife (and specialised wetland wildlife at that) to the area, through us making better quality habitats to support these fantastic bird, bug and small mammal species. . Thank you again for all your support, and if you know of anyone who hasn't donated yet, send them the link and get donating...we have 11 DAYS LEFT to reach our target!
How will the money be spent?Target (inc. fees) £15,303
Costs Breakdown
This shows how money raised for the project will be spent. These costs have been confirmed by the project's Delivery Manager and verified.
Overfunding
This project is enabled for overfunding. If the project hits its funding goal before the end of the campaign period, any extra funds raised will be spent (in order of priority) on:
Target (inc. fees) £15,303
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VolunteerThe Mersey Rivers Trust is a charity working in partnership with all those interested in improving our local rivers and waterways. As a member of the national Rivers Trust movement, it is the Rivers Trust for the River Mersey and its catchment.
We have done similar wetland enhancement projects at Dunham Massey and Croxteth Park, and have work underway this summer at Tatton Park. We love to make sure we're doing the best for our environment, widlife and rivers.
Project Owner: Mersey Rivers Trust The Project Owner takes legal responsibility for receiving and spending the funds raised and ensuring the project is delivered.
