It’s time to go wild

If everyone in Rochdale found a place for wildlife in their gardens it would create a nature reserve as wonderful as any in the UK.

That is the view of the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside as its launches its My Wild City initiative at the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s Green Summit.

The Wildlife Trust wants everyone to make their gardens into nature reserves, so that they can provide a network of streets, parks and towns offering homes for all kinds of wildlife.

Many species of bird have suffered because of dwindling green spaces, hedgehogs decline when there is no network of routes for them to hunt for food and bees and butterflies are facing crisis after crisis in our towns and cities.

Launching My Wild Garden, the first part of the My Wild City, Wildlife Trust Chief Executive Anne Selby said: “This is an opportunity for Manchester to lead the fightback for our urban wildlife, but we need the help of everyone who lives there.

“If we can persuade people to provide havens for nature in their own gardens then it will create streets which will become nature reserves, and then towns where everyone will have access to wildlife. This means we are creating corridors for creatures so they can move from place to place and meet up with members of their species reducing inbreeding and leading to healthier populations.

“We want people to plant the right plants for insects, provide shelters for mammals and frogs and toads and welcome birds into their gardens. The benefits are huge getting participants outdoors is great for their health and well-being and it provides a nature show outside your window.”

My Wild City follows the success of similar initiatives in Bristol, Cardiff and London, but the local project is a long-term vision including every part of the community in Manchester and Greater Manchester.

My Wild Garden will rally nature lovers, old and new, to make their patch wildlife-friendly, be it their garden or a local open space. It will be followed by My Wild School, encouraging children and teachers to spend more time in nature. Other projects include My Wild Nature Reserve, My Wild Health Service, My Wild Community and My Wild Office, where businesses will compete to “out green” each other.

Manager of My Wild City, James Hall said: “My Wild Garden is now helping to raise awareness of the crucial role gardens play in creating a wildlife-friendly Manchester. We want to empower people to take practical action to improve the value of the gardens for wildlife and work with others to make corridors. This will also help us with monitoring and research species that use our gardens.

“We are aiming to improve the habitat quality of at least 15,000 gardens across the City by 2025. People will get a chance to monitor this through an interactive map which will grow and grow as more people get involved.

“By enticing wildlife into your garden with a few simple changes, you can be part of a nature reserve covering the whole of Manchester and beyond. And you will be providing a home for millions of beautiful and diverse creatures.”

Anyone keen to participate in My Wild Garden can get an introductory pack and get their name and pledge their support on the interactive map by visiting

http://www.lancswt.org.uk

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