Biodiversity at Wythenshawe town centre

Posted: 27/03/2021

Wythenshawe town centre is encouraging biodiversity with its Urban Buzz project which will see the introduction of bug hotels, bat boxes and the planting of 1,000 bulbs to create greener areas in which wildlife will thrive.

The team have utilised materials reclaimed from around the centre to build two large bug hotels – places for insects to live, lay their eggs and hibernate whilst also encouraging pollination.

Five separate bat boxes have also been installed around the centre, providing opportunities for roosting bats, particularly within the town centre where there are few existing roosting locations. Bats play an essential role in pest control, pollinating plants, and dispersing seeds, and are therefore vital to Wythenshawe’s eco-system.

The project is being carried out by volunteers from the town centre team and their landscaping partners at Countrywide Grounds Maintenance.

Centre manager, Daniel Davis, said: “Wythenshawe town centre is at the heart of our local community and we are always looking for ways in which we can improve our environment and ensure that Wythenshawe is a positive, green space for residents and visitors – both human and other!

“It’s been a tough time for everybody recently, so we hope this project will spread some positivity locally whilst also looking after our wildlife and lessening our carbon footprint to provide a brighter future for generations to come.”

Rob Howard, regional manager at Countrywide Grounds maintenance added: “Countrywide Manchester is proactively committed to delivering social value within the environment that we work in, so when Daniel asked for support with the Wythenshawe Pollination Project, I was delighted to commit my company and time to this positive endeavour.”