Risley, Holcroft and Chat Moss National Nature Reserve spans 529 hectares of internationally important lowland peat habitats. Made up of 11 sites from lowland raised bogs and fen, through to lowland heath, wet woodland and drier woodland habitats, this network will be restored to provide homes for rare species like lapwings, curlew, sundew and adder. This is part of the King’s Series of National Nature Reserves which will ultimately see the designation of 25 National Nature Reserves by 2027 in recognition of His Majesty’s longstanding passion for the natural environment. 

Landscape scale recovery  

Our Chief Executive, Charlotte Harris, attended the official launch of the new National Nature Reserve at Risley Moss, Warrington on Monday. 

“The designation of the Risley, Holcroft and Chat Moss National Nature Reserve marks a powerful moment for nature recovery in the North West. As a site owner at Holcroft Moss, we at Cheshire Wildlife Trust are proud to be part of this pioneering partnership — one that brings together landowners, communities, and conservation organisations under a shared vision for our landscape’s future.” 

“Holcroft Moss is one of the region’s last remaining lowland raised bogs — a rare and remarkable habitat that stores carbon, supports endangered wildlife, and helps us tackle the climate and nature crises together. For decades, we’ve worked to restore this site. Now, as part of the new National Nature Reserve, its value will be amplified, protected, and connected.” 

Holcroft Moss 

Holcroft Moss near Warrington is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and part of the Manchester Mosses Special Area of Conservation (SAC). It is one of the few remaining areas of lowland raised bog in the region and the only one in Cheshire that’s never been cut for peat. Despite this, its hydrology was still impacted by surrounding commercial peat extraction and infrastructure developments like the construction of the M62. Because of this, we’ve been restoring this precious habitat by installing plastic piling around the perimeter to retain water levels. We’ve also been using Hebridean sheep to control invasive species like purple moor grass and encroaching shrubs through conservation grazing. As a result, we’ve seen the return of specialised bog flora like cross-leaved heath, cranberry, various cotton grasses and six species of sphagnum moss. This nature reserve is now a breeding and feeding ground for the yellow hammer, a species listed under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, and supports a population of common lizards. 

Read more about Holcroft Moss 

Why are peatlands so important? 

Peatlands act as the country’s lungs, storing more carbon than any other type of landscape, as well as holding huge amounts of water and preventing flooding around them. They take a long time to form (the peatlands around the new National Nature Reserve were created over the last 10,000 years) which means they take a long time to restore which isn’t good news considering 80% of England’s peatlands have been damaged, dried out or degraded mainly due to intensive farming practices. However, the designation of the new National Nature Reserve will help restore these precious habitats and mitigate the impacts of climate change. 

Read more about peatlands