Greater Manchester Nature Network
To drive nature recovery, we have set out a long-term spatial vision for nature recovery and focus delivery efforts on the places that will make the biggest difference for nature and the wider environment. This is to enable the targeting of effort and resources, encouraging collaboration and coordination where it will have the most impact.
This is our Nature Network for Greater Manchester, based on the established principles of “bigger, better and more joined up” set out in the Lawton review (2010).
Action outside of this Nature Network is still vitally important to reduce pressures on nature by creating a more wildlife-friendly city region.
Read more about the nature network and how it was developed.
Greater Manchester Nature Network
The Greater Manchester Nature Network is made up of the following:
- Core local nature sites: are best remaining wildlife sites across the city-region and are already recognised for their importance for biodiversity. sites that are already protected to some degree but are fragmented, isolated and poorly connected. We need to prioritise improvements in the condition and management of these sites and identify opportunities to expand and better connect them.
- Nature recovery opportunity areas: areas where there are opportunities to enhance, resptore or create different types of habitats which would expand and better connect our core local nature sites. We need to prioritise efforts in these locations for the creation and restoration of habitat, alongside other land uses.
Taking action in the nature network
To help guide action on nature recovery, our opportunity areas identify and map where action to enhance, restore or create different types of habitats might be possible and most beneficial. For example, areas are mapped where woodland enhancement should be encouraged or where woodland creation would be beneficial. These actions are not binding for landowners and managers but identify the areas, and types of action, that could be particularly beneficial in creating a Nature Network.
Areas mapped within our Nature Network are particularly suitable for the delivery of offsite biodiversity net gain and are classed as strategically significant in terms of the Defra Biodiversity Metric. The Nature Network does not introduce any new designations or protections, nor does it create any barriers to development. Development within these opportunity areas (or where it could have an impact on these areas) should seek to support and deliver on the priorities set out for these areas and help to work towards the wider ambitions of the Nature Network.
View our description of all mapped actions.
Taking action outside the nature network
Identifying a Nature Network does not mean that taking action should not be pursued in other locations across the city-region. Action can take place anywhere across the city-region to help realise the priorities in this strategy. There are many opportunities to do this in every community. Everyone can play a part, whether it is via the creation of pocket parks, wildlife-friendly gardens or new community growing spaces.
Mapping the GM Nature Network
Explore our nature network map
You can explore the Nature Network map below. If viewing on a mobile phone, you may need to click within a grey box to open the map. You can move the map around and change the zoom levels. The magnifying glass button lets you search for places of interest. Clicking the square box with an arrow in the top right corner opens a larger form of the map in a new tab. Layers can be added using the stacked sheets icon on the bottom right. Layers can be turned on and off by clicking on the associated symbols in the legend on the left.
The default map shows Core Sites and a layer that combines the mapped actions. This means that you can click on a section of the network to view the description of prioritised actions – sections can overlap so you may need to click arrows to see the description for each one. The selected section will be highlighted in light blue. There are also layers that can be added to show the network of individual mapped actions within each of these keys habitats:
- Woodlands, trees, scrub and hedgerow
- Grasslands, farmlands and lowland heath
- Rivers, canals and waterbodies
- Lowland wetlands and mosslands
- Upland moorlands
Visit the full Nature Network map.
Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database rights 2025 (OS licence number: OS AC0000808397); Contains Natural England data © Crown copyright and database rights 2025; Contains Forestry Commission data © Crown copyright and database rights 2025; Contains Rural Payments Agency data © 2025 Rural Payments Agency; Contains Woodland Trust data – reproduced with the permission of The Woodland Trust for use in Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) purposes only, subject to the conditions of their non-commercial licence; Contains Greater Manchester Ecology Unit data © Crown copyright and database rights 2025.
Use of this data is subject to terms and conditions.