Cotterill Clough Nature Reserve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cotterill Clough Nature Reserve |
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| Type | Nature reserve and SSSI |
| Location | near Manchester Airport |
| OS grid | SJ805839 |
| Area | 5.6 hectares (14 acres) |
| Elevation | 50m |
| Operated by | Cheshire Wildlife Trust |
| Open | no |
Cotterill Clough is a special nature reserve, about the size of 7 football fields (5.6 hectares), located close to Manchester Airport. It's looked after by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust. This area is so important for nature that it's also part of a bigger 'Site of Special Scientific Interest' (SSSI). A small stream called Cotterill Brook flows through the reserve, eventually joining the River Bollin. People bought this land in 1934 to remember T. A. Coward, a famous nature expert from Cheshire who loved wildlife. It's about 15 kilometers (9 miles) south of Manchester city centre, right next to Manchester Airport.
What is Cotterill Clough?
Cotterill Clough is like a mini-valley or 'clough' (which means a steep valley). It was carved out by the Cotterill Brook, which slowly wore away the soft 'Keuper Marl' rock over many years. Most of the reserve is covered in trees. This woodland is super special because it has the most different kinds of plants and animals (high biodiversity) compared to other woodlands on rich soil in the Greater Manchester area.
Plants and Animals
The woodland here has three different zones, each with its own types of plants.
- Top of the Valley: At the edge of the flat land, you'll find trees like downy birch, pedunculate oak, and sycamore.
- Valley Sides: Further down the slopes, ash and wych elm trees are common. The ground here is full of many different kinds of plants.
- Ravine Bottom: Right at the bottom of the valley, where it's wetter, you'll see trees like alder and various willow species. The damp conditions are perfect for ferns, mosses, and liverworts to grow among other small plants.
Many different woodland birds live and breed here. You might spot a spotted flycatcher, different kinds of woodpeckers, Eurasian blackcap, and common whitethroat. The reserve is also home to many tiny creatures without backbones (invertebrates). Scientists have found 79 different types of spiders here, as well as a rare beetle called Dropephylla grandiloqua.
Why is it Closed?
Cotterill Clough is currently closed to visitors. This is because there are some unsafe structures on the site. Also, the Cheshire Wildlife Trust wants to leave dead trees standing. This might sound strange, but dead wood is really important for encouraging even more different kinds of plants and animals to live there.
