A huge project to restore woodland, protect habitats, and halt species decline across 30 hectares of canal network, riverbank, grassland, and wetland, along the Medlock Valley in Greater Manchester is underway.

The £1.2m Medlock Valley Restoration Project is being led by environmental charity, Groundwork Greater Manchester, and will cover seven sites along the Medlock Valley, which runs from Oldham, through Tameside, and into Manchester City Centre.

The 18-month project has received funding from DEFRA’s Species Survival Grant and is being delivered by Groundwork Greater Manchester, alongside its team of delivery partners, including TCV, the Canal & River Trust, City of Trees, and Mersey Rivers Trust. Since the project was first announced in spring 2024, Groundwork Greater Manchester has recruited two trainee rangers to the project and delivered a green skills training programme.

Throughout 2025, the project will be in its delivery phase with activity planned across all seven sites. Phase one is focussed on woodland felling, primarily at Lees Brook Nature Reserve – the largest area of woodland in the Medlock Valley.

Contractors organised by City of Trees are currently on site removing weak, dying, dead, or damaged trees. Some smaller scale felling is also taking place at other sites to improve diversity and allow natural light to reach the woodland floor, enabling new growth to flourish.

Lou Smith, project manager for the Medlock Valley Restoration Project at Groundwork Greater Manchester, said: “Since the funding for this project was granted last spring, we have built a strong project delivery team, which is working closely with local authorities and communities in Manchester, Oldham and Tameside. We have also recruited two trainee urban rangers and have been upskilling them through a green skills training programme.

“2025 will be a big year for delivery on this project, with an initial focus on tree felling through the winter months. This is the crucial first stage of the entire restoration project as it will improve the quality and condition of the existing woodland by removing any disease-ridden trees and invasive, non-native species.

“By felling and thinning out, we will be able to plant more native species further down the line and create a woodland that is much healthier, more resilient to climate change, and more diverse in age and species. This will help us to restore and protect a variety of habitats and help to halt species decline within local wildlife populations.”

Later this year, work will move on to restoring the Ashton and Rochdale canal network, removing a weir, naturalising the riverbank at Lees Brook Nature Park, restoring grassland and wetland, and planting approximately 5,000 new trees – including both young whips and standard size trees.

Lou continued: “We have a lot of work to do this year and a big part of this will involve engaging our local communities and developing their green skills so that everyone feels involved and empowered to take ownership in improving the biodiversity of this incredibly rich environment to increase its longevity and resilience.”

Groundwork Greater Manchester, and its delivery partners, will be hosting a number of volunteer events and activities throughout the year on the Medlock Valley Restoration Project, including practical hands-on sessions, community event days, walks and talks. Local community groups, schools, and youth groups will also be engaged in the project to encourage multigenerational and sustained collective action.

During the school Easter holidays, Groundwork Greater Manchester is inviting the local community to join them at the Medlock Valley Spring Festival at Lees Brook Nature Park on Thursday 10 April, from 10am to 3pm.

The £1.2m Medlock Valley Restoration Project is Groundwork Greater Manchester’s biggest project. The 18-month project runs from May 2024 to December 2025 and builds on Groundwork Greater Manchester’s Resilient River Valleys project.

To get involved, visit Groundwork Greater Manchester, email [email protected] or call 0161 220 1000.