To mark the start of a new year, the Council’s Green Sefton service has launched a new nature’s calendar to tell people what will be happening along the Borough’s unique Natural Coast and its many greenspaces.
Seasons
Each month the nature’s calendar tells people what they can expect to see and hear happening around them as the seasons progress. It also describes what work the Green Sefton teams are doing and sometimes explain what they are not doing, to nurture our protected habitats landscapes, plants and wildlife.
Also, the calendar, at www.sefton.gov.uk/nature-calendar will provide some advice on what Sefton residents might see or be doing in the garden or their nearby park or greenspace.
Snowdrops starting to appear, robins and wrens singing, and the unearthly mating calls of foxes are among the things the calendar’s January page says we should look out for. It also explains that during the winter, Green Sefton cuts back invasive scrub on the coast and uses visiting Belted Galloway cows and Herdwick Sheep to improve habitats through conservation grazing.
Wildlife
This month’s calendar also reports that Green Sefton will be mowing in some parks and inland green spaces but will be on the lookout for wildlife like hedgehogs. Some areas will be left uncut to provide vital food sources.
With winter far from over, it also advises that people living in areas prone to flooding, check they have made any preparations that can avoid water damage and maybe find out more from the North West Flood Hub at https://thefloodhub.co.uk.
Nature Coast
Cllr Ian Moncur, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “Working on Sefton’s green spaces and along our 22-mile nature coast, much of our Green Sefton teams’ work is determined by the seasons and they have a month-by-month programme designed to enhance and protect our unique combination of environments, plants and wildlife.
“Ensuring we provide protection for these sometimes means carrying out measures including scrub clearance, which some people may be surprised to see.
“It also sometimes means not doing things people expect we would, such as not mowing in certain areas this month to provide food sources during the lean winter months.
“This year we thought it would be good to share some of those seasonal update elements with Sefton residents telling them what’s going on around them in nature and what to look out for.”
Visit the Sefton Nature Calendar.
