Lancashire Wildlife Trust Partners with The Big Give to Double Impact for Wet Willow Wildlife Project

The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside has announced its acceptance into the Green Match Fund with The Big Give. This will amplify support for the Wet Willow Wildlife Project, which is part of its Step Up for Wildlife Appeal.

The Step Up for Wildlife Appeal, launched by the Trust last autumn, aims to bolster conservation efforts across Lancashire and safeguard vital wildlife habitats.

The Wet Willow Wildlife Project is a crucial part of this puzzle and focuses on creating habitat corridors and restoring wet willow habitats across 27 key sites in Trafford, Mersey Gateway and Bolton, as well as local Mosslands.

Wet willow woodland and scrub are home to a variety of species, including bees, butterflies, amphibians, mammals, trees, birds and more.

In addition to its broader conservation objectives, the project will play a vital role in protecting the willow tit, a bird species currently under threat with numbers of breeding pairs dwindling.

The decline of the willow tit population in recent years highlights the urgency of conservation efforts to ensure its survival. Around five per cent of the UK’s willow tits can be found in Wigan and its surrounding areas, making the North West somewhat of a stronghold for the species.

By enhancing habitats across key sites, the project will provide crucial breeding and foraging grounds for the willow tit, contributing to its long-term recovery in Lancashire.

From 18^th to the 25^th April, any donations made to the Wet Willow Wildlife Project via LWT’s Big Give page will be matched, doubling the impact of contributions for this project and for Lancashire Wildlife Trust overall. The Trust is hoping to raise £300,000 by the end of the year, with the Big Give helping towards it.

Jenny Johnson, Head of Marketing and Income Generation at The Trust, said: "We're thrilled to have been accepted by The Big Give to maximize support for the Wet Willow Wildlife Project and our Step up for Wildlife appeal.

"This enables us to double the impact of donations during the Big Give week in April, allowing us to accelerate our efforts to protect and restore wet willow habitats in our region."

Donations made to the Wet Willow Wildlife Project through The Big Give will be matched, up to £10,000. Supporters can visit https://donate.biggive.org/campaign/a056900002SEVpgAAH to donate and double their impact in safeguarding the region's wet willow habitats.

Jo Kennedy, Head of Landscape Nature Recovery and Great Manchester Wetlands Partnership Co-ordinator, said: "We're calling on our supporters and the community to join us in stepping up for wildlife and making a tangible difference in our region.

"With your support, we can create thriving habitats for wet willow wildlife species and ensure a brighter future for Lancashire's natural world."

For more information about Lancashire Wildlife Trust's Step up for Wildlife Appeal and the Wet Willow Wildlife Project, visit lancswt.org.uk