We have three Local Nature Reserve sites within the Westhoughton area. With a mosaic of habitats and wildlife, these sites are a crucial part of the local community.

Hall Lee Bank Park LNR

Hall Lee Bank Park was designated a LNR in 2004. The site lies to the south west of Bolton town centre & covers 8.3 hectares. The site consists of a steep sided woodland clough with a brook running through it & it contains semi-natural broadleaved woodland, secondary woodland, running water, marsh grassland, scrub & acid grassland habitats.

The site contains some floristically rich areas of woodland with large stands of Pendunculate Oak, Ash, Alder, Crack Willow, Birch & a rich understory of Hazel, Bramble, Sallow & Dog Rose. The southern end of the reserve is increasingly species rich, containing some ancient woodland indicator species. The site has recent records of Roe Deer, Grey Wagtail, Sparrowhawk, Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker & a number of warbler species.

The site's present management focuses on the removal of invasive species mainly Japanese Knotweed & Himalayan Balsam. and also improvements to the site's access and display boards.

Eatock Lodge LNR

Eatock Lodge was designated a LNR in 2004. The site lies 8km south - west of Bolton town centre, is surrounded by recent urban development & covers 6 hectares. The site consists of open water, marsh, grassland, scrub & mixed woodland. The main focus of the site is concentrated around the lodge. This provides an important recreational resource for local residents, including fishing, walking and nature observation. The site has several formal surfaced footpaths and is further dissected by a number of 'desire lines' linking areas. A central area is managed for recreational activities, mainly a football pitch, and is the only part of the site cut on a regular basis.

The site itself comprises a mosaic of grasslands and recently planted mixed woodlands. The Lodge is also of regional importance for its breeding Toad population as well as supporting good numbers of Frogs, Smooth Newts and freshwater invertebrates. Butterflies recorded include Holly Blue, Gatekeeper & Speckled Wood whilst the site is also good for damselflies. Previous management has focused on enhancing the structural diversity of the site through tree planting in several areas, current management mainly consists of maintaining and enhancing public access and accessibility.

Cunningham Clough LNR

Cunningham Clough is situated to the south west of Westhoughton town centre and runs linear to Cunningham brook between grid references SD643051 and SD645042. The area is divided into 2 parts separated by Wearish Lane. The area to the East of the road is a former rubber tip now dominated by grassland and scrub although there is a small woodland compartment. The main bulk of the site is situation to the West of Wearish Lane and is a mosaic of different habitats including Acid and Neutral grasslands, Semi Natural Oak woodland and swamp/marshland. This variety leads to a wide diversity of flora and fauna at Cunningham Clough making it a pleasant site to visit although there is no real species that stand out in terms of conservation status or rarity