Chester Zoo project restores wildlife habitats in Cheshire

Chester Zoo launched the Networks for Nature project to reconnect wild spaces across 60 square miles of northwest Cheshire, England.

The initiative uses a 4.4 million pound grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to create corridors for wildlife and engage local residents. The project operates until 2028 and focuses on linking isolated habitat patches to help plants and animals move, feed, and breed more easily.

In its first year, about 8,700 people worked on the project to plant 14,000 trees and restore or create 13 ponds. Volunteers and partners also established 1.6 kilometers of hedgerow and improved nearly 7 hectares of woodland. Teams removed 269 tonnes of invasive species from waterways and cleared 500 cubic meters of rubbish from a community green space. These efforts put the project ahead of its five-year goals for ponds and hedgerow.

The project also focuses on public access and community involvement. Workers built 1,090 meters of new pathways and improved various parks and nature reserves. Local residents participated in bird box building, bug hunts, and garden makeovers. The program includes a focus on youth, where 83 young people completed leadership courses and joined hedgehog awareness campaigns. Doctors also use the project to refer patients to nature-based activities for mental and physical wellbeing.