Trafford Wildlife

Make A Difference In Your Environment Today

Trafford Wildlife is the latest evolution of a group of volunteers that have actively supported improvement to wildlife reserves in the Trafford area since the 1970's.  We run a number of practical tasks throughout the year mostly in the Trafford area. Our aim is to carry out and promote practical conservation in the local area.
We are currently running litterpicking tasks 10-12 most Mondays, some weekend days and nature conservation tasks most Wednesdays & Fridays 10am to about 3pm. We have a monthly conservation task on the second Sunday (usually) of each month 10-3.
During the winter season we are removing invasive rhododendron, scrub birch, Norway maple and willow. This requires no prior experience, just the ability to ignore the occasional rain shower and to get stuck in. In the transition period from winter to spring we are working on tree guard maintenance. Removing/replacing plastic tree guards, clearing mulch from around saplings, all to allow the saplings improved survival rate and growth. This activity also reduces the amount of plastic in the natural environment. During the summer season we are removing invasive Himalayan balsam, which, once removed enables indigenous plants such as hogweed, bramble and nettle to provide a more varied food store for wildlife. In addition, balsam tends to invade river banks and the tiny root structure leaves river banks open to excessive erosion.
Our Sunday tasks are communicated through an email list. Our weekday tasks are communicated through Trafford Wildlife Facebook, Trafford Wildlife WhatsApp and Trafford Wildlife Instagram. To hear about weekday tasks put a friend request through Trafford Wildlife Facebook and for WhatsApp drop us a line through this website JOIN US page. To go onto the Sunday tasks email list drop us a line through the 'JOIN US' page indicating weekdays or Sunday interest - or both!


About Us image

Please confirm if available for tasks on weekdays only or Sundays only (or both!).

Dr Jennifer Wood

Chairperson

I graduated from Salford University in 2006 with a degree in Wildlife and Practical Conservation .I became involved in the Cheshire Wildlife Trust and l served as a Trustee for 3 years. I have been involved with conservation in Trafford for many years and believe conservation is particularly precious in urban areas so that people can engage with green areas in their own neighbourhood.

David Reeves

Task Co-ordinator, Treasurer & Task Leader

I have been actively working on nature conservation in Trafford for 25 years. I am a volunteer and member of several local organisations, including the National Trust, Cheshire Wildlife Trust North Group and Altrincham Naturalists, as well as Trafford Wildlife. I co-ordinate the conservation work across the reserves looked after by Trafford Wildlife.

Geoff Densham

Secretary & Task Leader

I've been volunteering with nature conservation organisations for much of my life and I'm a strong believer that our limited nature areas in Trafford need protecting and nurturing. Volunteering on Nature reserves is enjoyable and beneficial to mental health.

Janet Turnbull

Task Leader

Since my career in education came to an end in 2011 I have been able to expand my interest in the natural world and have enjoyed working with The Conservation Volunteers and latterly with Trafford Wildlife. I am a member of Butterfly Conservation, the RSPB and National Trust, all of which seek to promote and protect our wildlife and heritage. I am also a keen photographer and belong to the Nature group of the Royal Photographic Society. I look forward to helping to introduce other people to the joys of nature and conservation.

Barry Craven

Task Leader

I have been involved in residential conservation projects throughout the UK and in Europe for approximately 15 years. I have worked as a volunteer with the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers and the National Trust for Scotland. I began working locally with Trafford Wildlife when Covid 19 restrictions were relaxed earlier in 2021. I have enjoyed the conservation tasks in an environment that can be as safe as possible given the threat of Covid 19. I highly recommend this group.

Maura Baker

Task Leader

I have been interested in wildlife and conservation for many years, supporting groups such as the National Trust and WWT. I am a keen walker and enjoy the outdoors. Since retiring from full time work I have been involved as a volunteer with conservation projects run by Trafford Wildlife.

Jon Banwell

Task Leader

Since retiring from working in social care I have become increasingly involved as a volunteer with Trafford Wildlife. I am keen to develop my knowledge and understanding of conservation and enjoy getting involved in the various projects throughout the year.

David Newbrook

Swift Leader

My hope is that I can start a local group of like minded individuals who will take up the baton of preserving the Swift populations that we have in Trafford and with the hope of encouraging new populations of Swifts to flourish - as the thought of Summers without the sight and sound of screaming parties of Swifts at rooftop height is something we shouldn’t allow to happen.

Julie Johnson

Timperley Tidiers Leader

I have been a member of Timperley Tidiers litter picking group for quite a few years and helped organised the bigger litter picks and Facebook page and before that have been doing solo litter picks around the village. I'm taking over as leader of the group now and looking forward to getting involved in the various projects when I'm able to. I work in a local primary school and I enjoy cycling in my spare time.

Birch Moss covert (SBI)

Nature reserve on peaty soil with remnant of lyng (heather).

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Black Moss Covert (SBI)

Deciduous woodland found on a peat mossland

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Brookheys Covert (SSSI & Ancient Woodland)

Ancient woodland with a large number of bird species

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Firs Wood (LNR)

A Trafford Local Nature Reserve mostly wet woodland.

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Henshaw

Rewilded former farmland.

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Hogswood Covert (SBI & Ancient Woodland)

Damp deciduous woodland that contains several ponds & a rich ground flora

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Litterpicking

Weekly litterpicks in Sale West, Banky Lane, Woodcote Lane & others have cleared many 100's of bags of mostly plastic litter that would otherwise enter the natural environment. The bags are reported to One Trafford Partnership for removal.

John o Jerusalem woodland

A wet woodland close to the River Bollin.

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Little Bollington

An area of deciduous woodland and adjacent farmland planted with new hedgerows.

Seamons Moss Covert

Broadleaved plantation of mostly American red oak

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Sinderland Green Covert (SBI)

Broadleaved woodland plantation with 32 species of bird recorded.

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Swift habitats

Creating additional habitats for this small red listed bird

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White Oak Covert (SBI)

Broadleaved plantation of mostly American white oak

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Willow Tit habitat project

Creating additional habitats for this small red listed bird

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Woodheys (LNR)

A Trafford Local Nature Reserve.

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Yew Tree

Area of former farmland rewilded with additional pools and wildflower planting.

 
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Bird Haunts and Nature Memories (of Carrington Moss) by T A Coward

Memories of a Cheshire Moor. First edition printed in 1922.

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Sinderland Camp

Wartime history of Sinderland area

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Carrington Moss: A Short History

The 19th, 20th - and 21st - century development of Carrington Moss

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Sinderland Corridor

The reserves of the Sinderland Brook corridor from Broadheath to Red Brook

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What other Nature related groups are there in the Trafford area?

We have partnered with (or our members have partnered) with the following:
Altrincham and District Natural History Society (AltNats) http://altnats.org.uk 
City of Trees (CoT) https://www.cityoftrees.org.uk
Friends of Bowdon Bollin (FoBB) http://www.f-o-b-b.co.uk/
Friends of Bridgewater Canal (FoBC) https://friendsofbridgewatercanal.org.uk/
Friends of Carrington Moss (FoCM) and Ecology Subgroup https://friendsofcarringtonmoss.com/
Mersey Rivers Trust https://www.merseyrivers.org/
National Trust Dunham Massey https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunham-massey
South Manchester Conservation Volunteers (SMCV) https://smcv.org/
Save Flixton Green Belt http://www.saveflixtongreenbelt.org/

What minimum age limits apply to volunteers on TW tasks?

This depends on the time of year, the nature of the task and the site.  As a general rule the minimum age is 16 and everyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.  Most tasks involve getting wet & muddy. There may be TW tasks where under 16's may be able join.  For a specific event please email a question through the 'Join Us' page.

I'd like to make a financial donation to Trafford Wildlife to support the group's work on behalf of local wildlife. How do I do this?

Please contact us through the 'Join us' page and we will provide our account details.  Regular donations enable us to better plan our expenditure but one off donations are just as welcome.

What is the position on volunteer accident reporting?

Volunteers: Your health and safety:
https://www.hse.gov.uk/voluntary/volunteers/volunteer-health-and-safety.htm
and
Volunteering: Guidance for employers:
https://www.hse.gov.uk/voluntary/employer/reporting-incidents-involving-volunteers.htm
Accident Record Form from:
https://www.templateroller.com/template/282317/accident-record-form-united-kingdom.html
The next available Report No. is available from the Secretary at traffordwildlife@gmail.com.


How can I get to tasks by public transport?

The northern reserves along Sinderland Lane are currently (Mar 2023) served by the 247 & CAT5 buses from Altrincham Interchange as far as the Whitehouse Lane turn off from Sinderland Lane.  The southern reserves near Dunham Massey are served by the 280 bus starting from Altrincham Interchange.  Birch Moss Covert is also served by the 247, 255 & 280 buses but is a longer walk down Isherwood Road/Birch Road.  Firs Wood is served by the 19 bus.
https://tfgm.com/public-transport/bus/routes/247-the-trafford-centre
https://tfgm.com/public-transport/bus/routes/cat5-altrincham
https://tfgm.com/public-transport/bus/routes/280-altrincham
https://tfgm.com/public-transport/bus/routes/19-wythenshawe

For Birch Moss covert alight from 247/cat5 just to the east of Birch Road. From the north alight from 247/255/280 at Ackers Lane, walk down Ackers Lane, through to Isherwood Road and down past the ManUnited training ground to Birch Moss Covert.
For Brookheyes/Hogswood alight from 247/cat5 by Dark Lane opposite Whitehouse Lane. Walk north along Dark Lane and turn right over a style into Brookheyes then onto Hogswood.
For Sinderland Green alight from 247 just after Sinderland Chapel & walk back to Sinderland Road junction walking north up Sinderland Road track to Sinderland Green covert.
For Henshall Lane alight from cat5 by Caldwell Brook
For Dunham Massey car park alight from 280 by Dunham Massey entrance by car park.
For Firs Wood alight from 19 at the Brigadier Public House

For John of Jerusalem woodland in Bowdon take the X5 service alight either at the A56 Dunham Road Bow Green Road junction or the Bow Green Road Stanhope Road junction. The bus goes past the path leading to John o Jerusalem but there is no bus stop.