2025 saw celebrations of the 30th anniversary of New Ferry Butterfly Park being open to the public. Since 2002 we have welcomed a total of 34,890 visitors, some on Sunday afternoons and some on guided visits. This year the Butterfly Park received its 13th Green Flag and its second RHS North West in Bloom level 5 Award. All these things reflect the dedication of volunteers that includes the Wirral Countryside Volunteers.
If you would like to volunteer at New Ferry Butterfly Park, either as a voluntary warden or on a workday, email us at info@wirralwildlife.org.uk
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| Visitors at the 2025 Open Day at New Ferry Butterfly Park |
The season started well at Cleaver Heath reserve with a regeneration project, which saw an area dominated by bracken and gorse scraped back to mineral soil, in order to encourage the regeneration of heather. The work was funded through money raised by Woodchurch High School and our own fund-raising. The Cleaver Heath volunteers then worked hard to remove remaining bracken roots. Then, at the end of August, a fire broke out (in another area of the heath), probably caused by someone lighting a fire in an improvised fire pit. Luckily by the end of November some recovery of vegetation was evident.
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| Work in progress to remove an area of bracken and gorse at Cleaver Heath |
Events Attended in 2025
Wirral Wildlife attended many outside events in 2025, none of which we could do without our dedicated volunteer team.
March was a busy month with Our Dee Estuary's Final Celebration in Hoole, the Wirral History and Heritage Fair in Port Sunlight and Cheshire Wildlife Trust's Action for Wildlife Weekend at Birkenhead Park. At each of these events we took our display boards and our children’s crafts where appropriate and told visitors about the work of Wirral Wildlife.
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| Linda gave a talk at the Action for Wildlife event at Birkenhead Park |
In May we had a table at Cool Heswall with information and activities to help spread the word about the vital importance of nature.
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| The Wirral Wildlife stall at Cool Heswall |
Volunteers worked hard at Poulton Hall Open Day in July, making cream teas, welcoming visitors and leading meadow walks.
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| A guided meadow walk at Poulton Hall |
Ness Nature Day was held on a beautiful August day and we did craft activities with lots of children.
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| Wirral Wildlife volunteers at the Nature Day at Ness Gardens |
In October an Apple Afternoon was held at New Ferry Butterfly Park with a display of 28 apple varieties and apple juicing using our traditional apple press.
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| Just some of the varieties of apple at the Apple Afternoon at the Butterfly Park |
Green Libraries Week in October found us helping the librarians at Birkenhead Library and West Kirby Library deliver sessions on nature-based crafts.
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| Children's crafts during Green Libraries Week |
If you would like to join our events team please email us at info@wirralwildlife.org.uk
All year round our Recording team is busy with surveys or writing up their observations. It is vital to know which species are present and if their distribution is changing.
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| Transects surveying at Thurstaston Common |
Two members of Wirral Wildlife committee received special recognition this year. Hilary Ash, Honorary Conservation Officer, was presented with the Cool Wirral ‘Environmental Hero’ award, and Stephen Ross, Chairman, received the ‘Volunteer of the Year’ award from Cheshire Wildlife Trust.
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| Hilary received a Cool Wirral Environmental Hero award |
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| Stephen was awarded the Volunteer of the Year by Cheshire Wildlife Trust |
From this brief overview of 2025 you can see what Wirral Wildlife volunteers have achieved.
Why not come and join us? It is very rewarding to ‘Take Action for Wildlife’, as we promise to do!
