Harpurhey Ponds Become an Urban Oasis Ponds in Harpurhey are the latest target for the 100 Days to a Clean City campaign, with an intensive, three day clean-up kicking off today. With help from their partners, the Council will be clearing the area. In the past the ponds have had little or no management and their banks are covered with litter and fly-tipped rubbish. In addition to the clean up volunteers will be helping improve access to the ponds and installing a pond dipping platform so that local schools can use the ponds as an educational resource. Councillor Paul Murphy, Executive Member for Direct Services said: "These ponds are a mess at the moment and will greatly benefit from this clean up. As Chair of the Irk Valley Project, this is a problem that we face on many green spaces across North Manchester. We’ll be making a big difference, that is what the 100 Days Challenge is all about." The ponds, in the middle of Harpurhey, are oases for the local wildlife and contain many different and wonderful species of both flora and fauna. They also offer important breeding sites for a number of wildfowl and species such as the Kingfisher. Teresa Hughes, ecologist from the Greater Manchester Ecology Unit said: "It is fantastic to know that so close to areas where a lot of people live, you can be lucky enough to see the blue-green flash of a kingfisher or watch coots nest building. The clean up days will not only help people to enjoy the area better, but will also improve the site and water quality for the plants and animals" Text taken from Manchester City Council website <<back