GALLERY: 'Bioblitz' unearths hundreds of species at woodland estate

The Woodland Trust — which owns the estate — asked local residents to help them create a new record of the treasured plants and animals living in the area by taking part in activities including bug hunting and stream kicking.

The event on Saturday proved to be a massive hit and well over 200 different species are expected to be recorded once the Greater Manchester Ecology Unit finishes compiling the data this week.

Liz Carney, from the Woodland Trust, said: “It went incredibly well, we think there about 150 people of all ages who came down, which was a great turnout.

“There were whole families who came with grandad and grandma right down to little babies, and everyone was really enthusiastic.

“Lots of people took part in the pond dipping, the stream kicking, and the bug hunting. We also had a group of more keen naturalists who went up on the moors and did some surveys for us there.

“At the last count, we had recorded 186 different species but the Greater Manchester Ecology Unit will be looking at the rest of the data this week and they think that number will go up, so there will be at least a couple of hundred.”

The estate, which stretches from Barrow Bridge car park, up High Shores Clough to Walker Fold and then up to the moors, has been home to brown hares, twite, and lapwing but their numbers have decreased in recent years.

Great-spotted woodpeckers and lizards are also among the species the trust wants to encourage back, as part of long-term plans to restore the estate and create a sustainable landscape.

She added: “We saw everything from bugs to invertebrates, butterflies to moths, and all sorts.

“It was great to be able to show the hidden side of the estate that people don’t normally see.

“When you walk through you can enjoy it, but you don’t necessarily know what lives or grows in there.

“It’s great to be able to showcase all of the plants and wildlife and how vibrant Smithills is.”