Work is being undertaken to preserve a rare habitat in Doffcocker.

The lodge is home to one of the largest reedbeds in Greater Manchester but it is under threat by willow trees.

Now a conservation group is undertaking work to ensure the reedbed, home to a wealth of wildlife, by managing the trees.

Reedbeds are found between water and land and are transitional habitats.

They can form extensive swamps in lowland floodplains or fringe streams, rivers, ditches, ponds, and lakes with a thin feathery margin of reeds.

Reedbeds only have a lifespan of five to 15 years and can support around 700 species of invertebrate plus many species of bird, amphibian, mammal and fish, bittern, water rail, reed bunting, reed warbler, water shrew, and otter, to name a few.

The Bolton News: Bolton Conservation Volunteers

Group lead of Bolton Conservation Volunteers, Richard Parker said: “They are a very rare habitat, and within 30 years if not looked after, will destroy themselves and the forest takes over.

“There are so few wet beds in Bolton, so you need to constantly manage them.

“We created them 30 years ago and now we have to maintain them.

“It is the biggest reedbed in Bolton, so they do grow fast but if we let it go to the trees, then the wildlife would disappear, and we have things like reed warbler, and these are quite unusual.

“There are loads of woodland in Bolton, which is also important, but this is rare.”

The  group have cleared the willow trees to allow the reedbed to grow.

Richard said: “It wants to become a forest which is good but the special wildlife living here need the reedbed.

“Over time the reeds are driven back and the reedbeds become dominated by willow.”

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Historically reeds were used for thatching, as it was a widespread practice helped to maintain the health of the reedbeds, but as slate and other materials replaced reeds, the maintenance lapsed, and they began to decline.

Rick said: “Forty years ago BCV planted a few square metres of phragmites rhizomes, today we have one of the largest reedbeds in Greater Manchester, but reedbeds need to be managed to continue to thrive.

“We want to do our best to help the wildlife here grow and have a place to call home.”