A mum and two children sat in a wooded area
Environment

Have your say on how nature recovery is prioritised across Greater Manchester


  • New consultation launched on landmark plan for nature recovery across Greater Manchester
  • City-region’s first Local Nature Recovery Strategy sets out how we can make space for nature where it’s needed and support environmental recovery
  • Residents and businesses can take part from Friday 15 November 2024 to 31 January 2025.
  • Have your say at gmconsult.org.

Residents and businesses across Greater Manchester can now have their say on ambitious proposals to protect green spaces and support the natural environment for generations to come.

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) is inviting people to give their views on the city-region’s first Local Nature Recovery Strategy, which has been developed to address the loss of nature and biodiversity across Greater Manchester in recent decades.

Nature in Greater Manchester comes in all shapes and sizes – from urban parks and gardens to rivers and canals, nature reserves and wilder upland areas. A healthy natural environment is fundamental to Greater Manchester’s sustained economic growth, as well as the health and wellbeing of everyone living and working in the city-region.

It provides us with the soil we grow our food in, the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the land on which we live and work. Everyone benefits from nature – and when all this is added together, Greater Manchester gets £1bn of benefits from the natural environment each year.

But nature is being lost around the globe and locally in every area of Greater Manchester. The severity of the situation facing us was recognised by the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, and the GMCA declared a biodiversity emergency in 2022.

Despite these challenges, nature can recover – particularly when it’s given a helping hand. Working closely with local partners from across the city-region, the GMCA has developed the first Greater Manchester Plan for Nature. The plan will be the foundation for nature’s recovery in Greater Manchester, outlining how we can make space for nature where it’s needed most. It sets out a vision for us all working together to deliver a resilient network for nature across the city-region, connecting and enhancing wild spaces so that people and nature can thrive.

Councillor Tom Ross, Greater Manchester Lead for Green City-region, said: 

“Nature is fundamental to the success of Greater Manchester, but it is abundantly clear that it needs our help. We can all do more to improve the state of nature across the city-region and protect green spaces for everyone to enjoy.

“A range of projects are already beginning to put nature at their heart, from the restoration of wilder areas in our uplands and lowlands to nature-conscious design in new housing and commercial developments, in our civic squares and parks, and along our streets. All of these demonstrate the positive impact we can have when different organisations, community groups and individuals come together to help nature recover.

“But we need to do more, which is why we declared a biodiversity emergency. Our new plan for nature will sit at the heart of our drive for nature recovery, providing a roadmap for how we can all work together to help nature recover and where we need to focus our efforts to have the biggest impact. I would urge all residents to have their say here so we can help our nature recover together.”

People can join one of our in-person drop-in sessions to speak with one of our experts and have their say on how nature recovery should be prioritised across the city-region. They can also view our draft plan for nature and give feedback online: www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/lnrs.

The drop-in sessions will be held at the following venues:

  • Town Hall Atrium, Wigan: 18 Nov, 1pm-4pm
  • Number One Riverside, Rochdale: 19 Nov, 12pm-4pm
  • Central Library, Manchester: 20 Nov, 11am-3pm
  • Stockport Town Hall: 22 Nov, 9.30am-1.30pm
  • Spindles Shopping Centre, Oldham: 26 Nov, 1pm-4pm
  • Salford Suite, Civic Centre, Swinton: 29 Nov, 1pm-5pm
  • Library Community Room, Tameside One: 4 Dec, 11am-3pm
  • Sale Library, Trafford: 6 Jan 2025, 11am-2pm
  • Moss Bank Café, Bolton: 7 Jan 2025, 10am-1pm
  • Mill Gate Shopping Centre, Bury: 8 Jan 2025, 1pm-4pm

Lead picture credit: Annabelle Brittle / Greater Manchester Environment Fund

Article Published: 15/11/2024 11:11 AM