The History of the Valley
The Irk is described in Wentworth’s ‘The Hisotry and Annals of Blackley’ (1892) as follows, “ it is not only the blackest but the most sluggish of all rivers”. The very name ‘Irk’ suggests indolence; however, it is named for quite the opposite reason, the word Iwrck or Irke comes from Roebuck, named for its fleetness. There is little mention of the Irk Valley in the history of Blackley, however, in 1249 King Henry III granted Thomas Grelle exclusive fishing rights: “the waters of the Irke and Blakel, the banks of which on both sides are the Lord’s soile, on which it is unlawful to fih without the Lord’s license, as it is his warren; the value thereof is twelve pence”.

A Diverse Landscape
There is a significant amount of open space within the Irk Valley catchment and Moston Brook corridor. Some sites have predefined uses, such as playing fields, allotments and cemeteries. Then there are others. There are over 25 sites within the Irk Valley Project area, covering over 250 Hectares, that are being targeted for environmental improvements. From large mature woodlands like Blackley Forest and Bailey’s Wood, to the winding riverside walks around Smedley Dip, the potential for developing a linked-landscape of accessible ‘urban countryside’ sites is great.

Planning for the Future
The Project aims to rejuvenate and regenerate areas of land within the Irk Valley catchment. Because of the size and complexity of the area, a consistent and prioritised approach to management across the Irk Valley is needed. This will ensure that it develops positively as an important local environmental resource, affecting many aspects of people’s lives :

Health, Landscape, Recreation and Nature
Sustainability is the key to the ongoing development of the Project. Initial work will help to secure and define sites, giving them a managed look. This will provide the essential foundations for establishing site-specific maintenance programmes and long-term management plans. The process will be gradual, but these environmental improvements will benefit both people and wildlife for many years to come.

Reclaiming the Land - making it wirk
Many areas of land within the Irk Valley are reclaimed sites. These are sites that may have been used for landfill, then landscaped and left alone. These can have complicated management problems, such as soil quality and land stability. The Project will help to co-ordinate the prioritised management on these sites, consulting with specialists in relation to these problems to ensure that land is safe for both environmental and recreational development. The challenge is to set up maintenance and management programmes for these areas to allow for their sustainable development. The River itself is improving after many years of decline. In 2000, an Environment Agency survey indicated that water quality is getting better and that greater improvements are expected due to upgrades at the sewage treatment works in Oldham and Royton.

The Irk Valley Project - wirking together
The Irk Valley Project is a true partnership in every sense of the word. The project is a perfect opportunity to make a real difference to local communities and their environment, a vision which is shared by all those involved. The Irk Valley Steering Group consists of local people who use Irk Valley sites, councillors and officers from both the public and private sector. These include Manchester Leisure, Groundwork Manchester, North Manchester Regeneration, HMG Paints, The Countryside Agency, Red Rose Forest and the Mersey Basin Campaign. The commitment and determination of people involved in the Irk Valley Project is already having a positive effect on the environment. The future will be even more exciting.