Greater Manchester Nature Network Map

To help address the biodiversity emergency the Greater Manchester Local Nature Recovery Strategy sets out a new spatial vision for nature’s recovery – a Nature Network across Greater Manchester.

The Nature Network sets out the best potential areas to boost ecological connectivity across the city-region – where action for nature could have the biggest impact on driving species and habitat recovery by better connecting our remaining wildlife-rich areas. By targeting action using the Nature Network we hope to focus efforts where they could have the greatest impact.

The Nature Network has two main components

• Core Local Nature Sites: These are areas already known to be important for nature, as they are designated or protected in some way (such as Local Wildlife Sites, Local Nature Reserves and irreplaceable habitats).
• Nature Recovery Opportunity Areas: These are areas where there are opportunities for action towards nature recovery, that could help better connect, expand or enhance Core Local Nature Sites. Action for nature in these opportunity areas can take place alongside other land uses, such as farming, recreation, development or business – everyone can make space for nature.

You can explore the Nature Network map below. If viewing on a mobile phone, you may need to click within a grey box to open the map. You can move the map around and change the zoom levels. The magnifying glass button lets you search for places of interest. Clicking the square box with an arrow in the top right corner opens a larger form of the map in a new tab. Layers can be turned on and off by clicking on the associated symbols in the legend. We have prepared a  YouTube video  that demonstrates how to use the map.

 ^{Contains OS Data © Crown copyright and database rights 2024 (OS AC0000808397) -  terms and conditions ; Contains Forestry Commission data © Crown copyright and database rights 2024; Contains Natural England Data © Crown copyright and database rights 2024; Contains RPA data © 2024 Rural Payments Agency. Data reproduced with the permission of The Woodland Trust for use for LNRS purposes only. The data is subject to the conditions of their non-commercial licence. This attribution applies to all maps shown on this page.} 

It is important to note that land being within the Nature Network does not provide any additional designations or protection to the land, beyond those protections already given to sites which fall within the Core Local Nature Sites. The Nature Network aims to have a positive influence on the growth and development of the city-region, targeting efforts by charities and helping planners and developers to understand and contribute towards nature recovery, alongside the delivery of new neighbourhoods, offices and commercial spaces.

The Nature Network is made up of opportunity areas for a range of different habitat types including:

-          Woodlands, trees, scrub and hedgerow

-          Grasslands, farmlands and lowland heath

-          Rivers, canals and waterbodies

-          Lowland wetlands and mosslands

-          Upland moorlands

As you scroll down this page you will be able to explore the opportunity areas for each of these habitat types in separate maps.

Under each habitat type different colours have been used to represent different possible actions which could be beneficial on this land, such as woodland improvements, bog restoration or species-rich grassland creation. You can explore each of these actions by turning on and off each of the different actions.

 Read more about the Nature Network and how it was developed. 

This map shows the mapped actions for woodlands, trees, scrub and hedgerow habitats. Example actions shown on the map include protecting and enhancing long established woodlands and old trees and creating or expanding woodlands.  You can read a full description of each suggested action here. 

This map shows the mapped actions for grassland, farmland and lowland heath habitats. Example actions shown on the map include protecting important semi-natural grassland, enhancing of grasslands, and creating or restoring grasslands.  You can read a full description of each suggested action here. 

This map shows the mapped actions for rivers, canals and waterbodies. Example actions shown on the map include enhancing and restoring waterside habitats, restoring canals and removing barriers from waterbodies.  You can read a full description of each suggested action here. 

This map shows the mapped actions for lowland wetlands and mosslands. Example actions shown on the map include enhancing and managing wetlands, reintroducing lost species, restoring wetlands and restorable deep peat.  You can read a full description of each suggested action here. 

This map shows the mapped actions for upland moorlands. Example actions shown on the map include stabilising and restoring deep bare peat to blank bog, encouraging more diverse habitats and restoring flushes and ponds.  You can read a full description of each suggest action here. 

You can read more about the Nature Network in the  draft Local Nature Recovery Strategy  and by reading  this fact sheet . Please return to the public consultation to complete the questions and provide feedback on the Nature Network.