The
Clough lies at the eastern tip of the Irk Valley Project area
and provides an immediate contrast to the formal lines and football
pitches of Broadhurst park. The Dean Brook trickles through
the lower level of the Clough in a steep sided woodland ravine.
The rest of the site consists of a mosaic of amenity grassland,
species-rich rough grassland and marshland.
There
are some mature stands of poplar on the site, with younger
copses of developing birch and alder woodland which have been
planted in partnership with Red Rose Forest. Extensive stands
of flag iris can be found in the marshy areas, which provide
ideal cover for common frogs and toads, as well as rest stops
for dragonflies.
North Manchester has very little marshy grassland area with
patches of open water, Broadhurst Clough has this but currently
the site quality needs to be addressed. Once the adjacent
football pitches have been improved they will drain into
the wetland. This sustainable use of water has been highlighted
by DEFRA as a good example of planning habitat improvements
for climate change
Over the summers of 2003 and 2004, hundreds of local residents took part in Moston’s
very own archaeological dig.
The Moston Hall, once an important house in the
district, was excavated by local people under the supervision of archaeologists
from Manchester University. A group - The Moston and District Archaeological
Society (MADASH) - formed to ensure that the project continued by fundraising
and raising the profile of the area.
Broadhurst Clough also hosted volunteers working with the British
Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV). They built boardwalks
over the wettest areas, so it is still possible to cross the
site even during the winter!
During the 2005 MCC clean up campaign the Irk Valley Project and North Manchester
Parks organised a clean up and a considerable amount of rubbish was removed.
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