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is a range of projects being undertaken in Blackburn, including the Blackburn
Local Nature Reserve Project which is scheduled to run until the project completion
date at the end of June 2006. The
Blackburn LNR Project has secured Local Nature Reserve designations for Sunnyhurst
Woods and River Darwen Parkway. Both reserves
are located in Darwen and owned by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. The
Borough council also owns The Arran Trail and Pleasington Old Hall Woods, which
are in the process of LNR declaration at the moment. A fifth prospective LNR at
Highercroft Woods is due to be designated before the end of the Project. The Project
has combined successful partnership working throughout the Borough area with the
Local Council and other aspects of the Project carried out with the added support
of Groundwork, The Mersey Basin Campaign and Lancashire County Council. The
Trust has carried out several large scale events in the area, working closely
to link schools into nearby LNR sites when possible and providing a wide range
of practical volunteering opportunities on the potential and declared sites. The
Project has developed links with community sourced volunteers, special needs groups
and students from Myerscough College. Much volunteer time has been dedicated towards
habitat management of priority habitats in the area/country including acid grassland
and lowland heath. Management
Agreements have been drawn up for the annual improvements and maintenance works
carried out at River Darwen Parkway and
Pleasington
Old Hall Woods. Agreements are being revised for all the other sites at the
moment. Other
areas of work currently being carried out in Blackburn include Productive Landscape
type Projects and improvements to urban green space areas including Bethesda Close,
Food Growing Projects and Wildflower creation schemes on derelict land.
For
more information on the Blackburn LNR project
please contact Rebecca Witcombe.
tel:
07795 017 315 or 01282 704 605
email: rwitcombe@lancswt.org.uk
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