The Conservation Management Centre specialises in ecological land management projects and manages a network of urban green sites as examples of good practice for other agencies, organisations and local communities. It also helps develop conservation areas to Local Nature Reserve (LNR) status and contributes to local and regional environmental/sustainability strategies. In addition, it develops ongoing partnerships with local government, voluntary agencies, private sector and provides a consultancy service offering information/advice on conservation management issues and project development. Finally, it develops informal learning networks to initiate the sharing of ideas, policy and practice across the various sectors.

Below are some of initiatives that Conservation Management Centre are involved with.

Lowerfields School Conservation Project
This exciting school project involves the management of a large nature reserve within the school grounds and includes wildflowwer meadows, woodland and a pond. We intend to manage the area with volunteers who will meet every Friday 10.00am - 4.00pm. The project provides a good opportunity to learn a wide range of conservation skills. People can also take an Open College Network qualification if they want to take their interest further. For further information, or to sign up as a volunteer, please contact Peter Boyd on 01274 308707.

Wild flower meadows across the city
Widflower meadows hacve been declining at an alarming rate over the past 60 years. However over the past 20 years the UK Urban Conservation Movement has shown increasing interest in creating new ones in towns and cities for the benefit of local communities. Meadow Projects: Railway Terrace Heathland, Toad Holes Beck, Wibsey Bank and Xiros plc.

Management of urban churchyards
Our churchyards are of historic & conservation interest. Management aims to encourage wildlife & areas of meadow are maintained by selective cutting regimes to encourage a wide range of species. Holy Trinity Churchyard is over 400 years old and an outstanding example of this type of management and has won special awards under the Yorkshiure Wildlife Trust’s Living Churchyards Programme.

Footpath Improvement Projects
There is a rich and diverse footpath system acroos the district which helps people access local green sites and countryside. Without management they would soon become overgrown by vegetation and eroded by weather and people. The CMC has carried out a range of footpath improvement projects mainly in the Bradford South district, in partnership with the Council’s Countryside and Rights of Way Service.

Railway Terrace Heathland
In 2008 this 20 acre site was designated the first Local Nature Reserve in Bradford and has become one of the top sites for wildlife in the area. The Mosaic of habitats include: lowland health (rare in Yorkshire), birch woodland, wildflower meadows, ponds, which together supports a wide range of plants, birds and insects including 74 species of bird and 20 species of butterfly. Local people help with site monitoring and species recording.

Partnership and Business Links
Our partnership with Xiros plc has won national recognition. We also work with: Bradford Council’s Countryside & Rights of Way Service, Parks and Landscape Service, Bradford North & South Area Co-ordinator’s Offices, Low |Moor Urban Village Group, Oakenshaw Residents Association, Bierley Community Partnership, Bradford South Conservation Volunteers, Bradford Environmental Education Service, Bradford Chamber of Commerce, Ciba/BASF plc, Low Moor Yorkshire Building Society, Bradford South Green Space Network, W.Yorkshire Conservation Management Network.