Sites of Biological Importance (SBIs), otherwise known as Local Wildlife Sites, are of vital importance in maintaining priority habitats and the species which depend upon them, especially in Greater Manchester where so much of the land area is already developed. There are over 530 SBIs across GM which support a diverse range of habitats including ancient woodland, blanket bog, lowland raised bog, ponds and lodges, reedbeds, upland and lowland heath. To find your local SBIs go the Interactive MapApp and input your post code into the Enter a Location box (top left) These are displayed on the map as red boundaries.

Most SBIs were originally selected for their habitats and are reviewed on a five-yearly cycle by the GM Ecology Unit (GMEU). All sites are visited by GMEU staff and are surveyed using a "walk-over survey method" (JNCC Phase 1 Habitat Manual). Habitats are identified using a combination of Phase 1 classification and Biodiversity Action Plan habitats. Given that each SBI is only visited on a single date, once every five years on average, species records collected by volunteers are vital to the SBI selection process. Volunteers who visit their local sites on a regular basis throughout the year and record the site over many years make an especially valuable contribution, as this allows changes over time in species abundance and status to be identified. Records from the previous five years are used in each review, so for the current 2018 review it is still not too late to submit records as far back as 2013.

Two new SBIs were selected for their breeding birds in 2017, one in Rochdale and one in Wigan. It is thanks to the local recorders who have been monitoring these sites over many years that they were identified as meriting selection. Rumworth Lodge was reviewed in 2017, and again thanks to the local birders submitting their records, it has maintained its grade A status which means it is a site of county importance.

On the negative side there are an increasing number of sites where the lack of records from the past five years is making it increasingly difficult to assess their importance not only for birds, but other groups including amphibians, butterflies and dragonflies. These include Cyrus Ainsworth's Nurseries and Parker's Lodges (Bury), Marsh near Turf Hill on the Kingsway Business Park (Rochdale) and Davenport Green (Trafford).

If you would like information on an individual SBI, or advice on which sites local to you would benefit from increased recording please email info@gmwildlife.org.uk

More detailed information including the criteria for selection can be found in the SBI Selection Guidelines

Probably the easiest way of submitting records is to click on the GMLRC logo at the bottom of this page which will take you to the Simple Record Form. All bird records are shared with GMBRG. However, if you prefer to send your records directly to GMBRG the options for doing so are explained on Manchester Birding

Please get in touch if you need any advice.