PLiP Project
The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside
Howick House (Galloways),
Howick Park Avenue,
Penwortham,
Preston,
PR1 0LS

tel: 01772 752445

email: plip@lancswt.org.uk

The Wildlife Trust has been working in partnership with Preston City Council since January 2003 to develop the PLiP Project. It aims to:

	raise awareness of local wildlife issues
	protect and enhance the local environment through community involvement
	organise activities that involve local people and help them enjoy their local greenspaces
	develop the skills of local people so they can sustain their activities in these areas and prevent them from declining
	undertake an audit of the greenspaces in the deprived wards of Preston
	designate Local Nature Reserves (LNR's) and encourage local people to use them for education and recreation

There are two threads to PliP; the Local Nature Reserve Project and the Productive Landscapes Project.

Preston Local Nature Reserve (LNR) Project

To date, there have been two LNR sites declared in Preston: Pope Lane Field and Boilton Wood LNR and Grange Valley LNR, both on the east side of the city. The next to be designated will be Haslam Park to the west and this will be followed by Fishwick Bottoms to the south.

Pope Lane Field and Boilton Wood LNR consists of semi-improved grassland and woodland. The grassland used to be a playing field but is now managed as a wildflower meadow to provide food and shelter for wildlife such as birds and insects. The woods are part of the Red Scar and Tun Brook Site of Special Scientific Interest and contain a wide variety of plants and animals, most notably the bluebells in spring, roe deer, badgers, bats and tawny owls. Great Crested Newts have been recorded in the ponds adjacent to the LNR and works have been carried out to improve the habitat on the Reserve for the newts. A dedicated band of volunteers and members of the local community, have helped manage and improve the site by planting trees, improving the footpaths and carrying out woodland management. A local youth group and schools have recently taken part in an art competition to draw some of the creatures found on the reserve and the winning pictures will be used in a leaflet about the site. A Public Consultation has recently been conducted regarding design improvements to the reserve entrance and it is hoped that funding will be obtained to carry out the works in the near future.

Grange Valley LNR is dissected by Eaves Brook and consists mainly of unimproved grassland and small patches of woodland. Action Ribble Estuary and the Environment Agency have helped the Wildlife Trust and Preston City Council improve the brook and plant a reedbed to help clean the water flowing downstream. Motorcycle barriers have been installed at the entrance points to discourage motorbikes and make the site safer for the local community to enjoy and use the area. Volunteers, local schools and community groups have helped plant trees, litter pick, plant reeds and enjoy the events regularly held on the Reserve and at Grange Park Interpretation Centre to raise awareness of the wildlife found here. Herons have been spotted hunting for food at the waters edge, birds of prey patrol the grassland area and blackbird, robin, dunnock and whitethroat all make their homes on the Reserve.

Haslam Park was developed by the Victorians as a formal park incorporating a lake, amenity grassland and woodland. The land adjacent was formerly farmland and is dissected by two brooks, Savick and Sharoe. It is this former farmland and parts of the formal park that are proposed be adopted as an LNR, also supported by the Parks Friends Group.

Fishwick Bottoms has been recognised as locally significant for wildlife in the 1992 Preston Wildlife Survey and consultation with the local community is currently underway regarding its future management when the site is designated as an LNR.

Preston Productive Landscapes Project

This branch of the project aims to connect communities with their local greenspaces through a series of initiatives that turn derelict, neglected and underused land into "productive landscapes" and make these sites better places for people and wildlife.

The sites range from community gardens, redundant land near housing, woodland, parks and a cemetery. Activities carried out to raise people's awareness of conservation issues, enjoyment, participation and ownership of sites have been diverse. They include public consultations, events, clean-ups, footpath creation, installation of seating, flower and vegetable gardening, wildflower meadow creation, art projects and woodland management. To date there have been numerous examples of sites improved in Preston, a selection of which are described below.

Frenchwood Knoll Wildlife Garden had fallen into disrepair and the Wildlife Trust, Preston City Council Park's department and Friends of Avenham Park set about its improvement. A butterfly meadow was created and a Festival involving local schools carried out to celebrate its flowering with a parade of masks, banners and flags to the sound of Samba music around the meadow. The pond containing newts was struck by a pollution incident and was re-excavated and lined in the hope that wildlife will return. Local people were involved in designing new sculptures, notices and an entrance arch to replace the old and tired original ones. The Friends group will continue to work with the Parks department to maintain and manage the site, keeping it attractive and inviting to local people and visitors.

Preston Old Cemetery was opened by the Victorians in 1855 and more recently an area has been set aside as a Woodland Burial Site. The grounds of the cemetery are important as a wildlife haven as the trees mature around the perimeter of the site and birds, insects, small mammals and flowers make their homes amongst the vegetation. This site is designated as a Biological Heritage Site because of its wildlife interest. The Wildlife Trust has been working in partnership with the Cemetery Manager to encourage awareness of its wildlife and heritage value. This has been achieved by a series of guided walks, volunteer work parties, development of a Friends Group and production of a heritage and wildlife trail leaflet. Improvements have encouraged people to use the site and feel safe as neglected areas have been made more attractive. Biodiversity has been increased through sowing wildflower seed, planting hedges and a rose garden. New bird boxes provide shelter and food to attract wildlife.

The Magic Garden developed when Surestart contacted the project asking for advice to create a garden in the grounds of the local Methodist Church in Brookfield so that the nursery children using the church hall could enjoy and learn about plants and animals. The Community Impact Group which has a dedicated workforce from a range of local businesses, carried out the practical work. A wildflower meadow, flower beds, footpath, butterfly garden and raised bed were created. The children and staff from the nursery helped to plant flowers, bulbs and trees.

Millenium House Garden was a garden project of the Longridge Road Tenants Association Community House. The garden needed revitalising and, after consulting with the local community and holding a series of workshops, it was redesigned. A new lawn was laid with paving installed and overgrown trees pruned back. Local people helped plant up the garden with native flowers to attract insects, such as butterflies, and a series of training sessions was held to encourage local people and give them confidence to maintain the garden in the future.

Thanks to all the community groups, schools and volunteers who have helped on the project since it started in 2003. You have helped to make a difference and improve your environment in Preston.

Funding for the projects has been provided by:

European Regional Development Fund

English Nature

Big Lottery

Lancashire Environmental Fund

Lancashire County Council

Preston City Council