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Waterways Action Squad

Waterways Action Squad volunteers win national recognition for their “Butterfly Biodiversity” Project

A project volunteers from the Waterways Action Squad to transform Freemans Copse, a small local nature reserve alongside the Shropshire Union Canal in Ellesmere Port, into a haven for butterflies and been selected by CSV Action Earth as runner-up in the Best Urban Biodiversity Prize category, winning a £100 cash prize.

Alison Cross and Bethany Millen, both aged 18 and from Ellesmere Port, planted butterfly friendly wildflowers and organised tree coppicing and thinning events to create natural habitats for the creatures.

Alison explained: “We wanted to improve this area and turn it into an attractive site for butterflies. We also want to encourage children and families from the local community back to the area to see the wonderful insects in their habitats. Hopefully this work will discourage fly tipping and make the local public appreciate and enjoy the free wildlife they have on their own doorstep without having to travel along way.”

Bethany said: “The flowers that we’ve planted make the area look a lot more attractive, providing colour and lovely smells. We’ve also cleared a large overgrown area of trees that were already half dead or had no room to grow. This allows more light onto the woodland floor, making it more suitable for butterflies to fly through or sunbathe. With the left over branches and trees we made habitat piles to increase the biodiversity of the site.”

Alison and Bethany’s hard work hasn’t ended there. They want more people to get involved with the conservation project and to see what has been achieved. In addition to organising a wildflower planting and butterfly crafts session with a local Brownie group, they are creating a map and poster to promote the site.

Bethany explained: “We’re making a map and poster to encourage the local public and people visiting the National Waterways Museum, just 15 minutes walk away, to come to Freeman’s copse to see this greatly improved local nature reserve.”

CSV Action Earth, supported by Morrisons supermarket, helps people across England and Wales become volunteers and improve the environment in which they live and work. Thousands of people took part in 1000 projects, this year, across the UK, planting trees, collecting litter, cleaning river beds and improving land.

Mark Harrison, Morrisons Store Operations Director, said: “Morrisons is proud to support CSV Action Earth and the thousands of volunteers who act to make an impact on the environment. Over the years, we’ve seen that when people contribute to change together it can deliver real benefits to the communities we share.”

Naseem Akhtar, Project Manager for CSV Action Earth said: “Projects like this show the very positive impact that local people can have in improving the environment. This is a well deserved award.” (CSV Action Earth 2010 - All good things must come to an end, and Action Earth 2010 finished on 31st July)

Freemans Copse is looked after by Cheshire West and Chester Ranger Service, Waterways Action Squad teamed up with the Ranger Service to help with labour intensive activities such as coppicing and tree thinning activities. Waterways Action Squad, Their work has helped make a dramatic improvement to this canalside green space, and helped young volunteers gain new skills and practical work experience.

Freemans Copse is a small Local Nature Reserve next to the Shropshire Union Canal in Ellesmere port, about 15 minutes walk from the National Waterways Museum.

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