About the reserve

Cutacre has been transformed from an overgrazed piece of grassland into a haven for all kinds of wildlife. Our own herd of rare-breed longhorn cattle gently graze the reserve in a sustainable, low-impact way that creates perfect conditions for some of our most iconic farmland birds.

Lapwings, oystercatchers and redshanks all breed in the shorter, softer grass and can be seen pottering around the reserve. Keep your ears pricked for the joyous song of the skylark as it flutters high above, joining the waders to nest during spring and summer.

Turn your attention to the trees and pond-side vegetation and you may spot grasshopper warblers, reed buntings, lesser redpolls, linnets and, most excitingly, rare willow tits; an icon of the Greenheart of Wigan. Kestrels and barn owls drift silently over the grass in search of voles, and snipe forage around the edge of ponds that act as a safe haven for five amazing amphibians, including great crested newts.

Stealthy visitors who step gently may be rewarded with sightings of brown hares hunkering down near our newly planted hedges. Peep into Cutacre’s ditches and you may even spot Britain’s fastest declining mammal, the water vole, as it scurries through the bankside vegetation.

We’re over the moon to see all our hard work at Cutacre reaping rewards for wildlife. By restoring species-rich meadow we are not only protecting a rare habitat, but creating homes for all kinds of creatures. Wildflowers like ragged robin and meadowsweet now have room to regrow amongst the shorter grass; offering invaluable sources of nectar to bees, butterflies and moths. And hopefully, it won’t be long before we see yellowhammers, meadow pipits and even black-tailed godwits showing off to visitors.