Maintenance work to protect rare toads and butterflies at Red Rocks

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Work is to get under way carrying out maintenance at Red Rocks nature reserve in Hoylake.

The area is a site of special scientific interest (SSSI), meaning it has special protection and needs consent for any work to be carried out on it.

Natural England, the government’s environmental body, has given permission to remove dense vegetation on the sand dunes which could affect threatened species including Natterjack toads and Grayling butterflies.

In a post on their Facebook page, the ‘Our Dee Estuary’ group, said: “During January and February Our Dee Estuary, Cheshire Wildlife Trust and Royal Liverpool Golf Club will be working to improve habitat at Red Rocks, under licence from Natural England.

“Vegetation on the sand dunes is becoming too dense and scrubby to support threatened species including Natterjack toads and Grayling butterfly.

“Work will include removing trees and scrub, creating new areas of open sand, cutting reed beds, strimming grasses and refreshing the Natterjack toad’s breeding ponds.”

‘Our Dee Estuary’ is described as a ‘Tidal Dee Catchment Partnership’, and is led by Cheshire Wildlife Trust and supported by The National Lottery heritage fund.

People wanting to know more about the work can contact Hannah Phillips, the ‘Our Dee Estuary’ project manager at hphillips@cheshirewt.org.uk.

Photo credit: Our Dee Estuary Facebook page.