If you live in Greater Manchester you have until the end of January to have your say on the GM Local Nature Recovery Strategy and make sure the city is working to support nature and help swifts.
Here’s a quick guide from SMS member Stuart Fear on how to navigate the consultation process:
What is the GM Local Nature Recovery Strategy?
The last government made it a legal obligation for Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)…think elected mayor Andy Burnham, Bee Network buses etc….to come up with a 5-year plan for helping nature in the region (made up of 10 council areas including Manchester, Stockport and Trafford).
The draft has been published and everyone living in the area has until the end of the month to comment before it’s firmed up.
What’s in it?
A lot, but don’t panic – the full draft can be read here (opens in new tab) but here’s a quick run down of what’s in it:
- If you know why nature matters in GM (duh!) and what state it’s in (crisis) then that’s 35 pages you don’t need to read.
- The next section looks at vision and aims…again, there are no big surprises and it boils down to us giving nature a huge helping hand.
- Then it’s on to the “where?” and a section with rather abstract maps, but the key thing is the recognition that Gtr Mcr is a very urban area (just less than 50%) with core local nature sites such as SSSIs and nature reserves making up only 11%, mainly in the north east. It recognises these fragmented core sites are in a poor state and will need a lot of help, but also that the more urban areas offer an opportunity for revival and can help connect up the core sites. This is surely good news for swifts.
- That then leaves the meaty bit, “what do we need to do?” The priorities and actions are divided into habitats and species.
The good news for swifts is that they’ve been included in a list of 16 species or species groups to be prioritised, whittled down from a long list of 400.
Swifts have actually been included in a species group with house martins and black redstarts with specific actions and interventions identified (p.73). Similarly the priorities for urban areas are set out on p.50.
Where’s the money coming from?
While the government charged GMCA to come up with the strategy it didn’t attach any money for implementation. We were told at a meeting for community groups that a replacement for the GM Green Spaces Fund, which ran from 2019-2024 and provided funding of £2.6m, will be launched this year.
Will the strategy be legally enforceable?
No. The consultation document says the strategy “…can be used to guide and inspire action by communities, residents, charities, businesses, farmers and landowners. It sets out the most effective actions and a network for nature recovery for local authorities, developers, policy makers, planners and institutions.”
How do I have my say?
Just click on this link: https://www.gmconsult.org/environment-team-policy-and-strategy/lnrs/consultation/
Any suggestions on what to say?
Obviously everyone will have their own take, but the following may help the cause:
- Mention swifts…welcome the fact they’ve been made a priority species and point out they’re an urban species and hence one that could flourish given the right help in GM. Welcome the recognition given by the draft strategy for the importance of action in urban areas
- Mention South Manchester Swifts…the LNRS is potentially a huge opportunity for an organisation like SMS so let’s get noticed now
- Mention insects and the connection to the fortunes of other species like swifts
- Ask for swift friendly policies to be made part of the planning process. The 10 councils that make up GMCA are the planning authorities, they need to be doing as much as possible to help this strategy
REMEMBER, YOU HAVE UNTIL JAN 31st TO DO YOUR BIT FOR SWIFTS!!!
If you are not already a member of South Manchester Swifts please consider joining and supporting our work to help swifts in Greater Manchester. Find out more on the ‘Join Us’ page.
