Friends of Marshall's Arm Local Nature Reserve

Friends of Marshall's Arm Local Nature Reserve Marshall's Arm is the name used to describe a looping section of the old River Weaver in Hartford, Cheshire.

The surrounding area has long been a haven for wildlife and it was designated a Local Nature Reserve in 1998 for people and nature.

Friends of Marshall’s Arm are attending the Northwich River Festival today. Come along and talk to us. You can also make...
18/07/2026

Friends of Marshall’s Arm are attending the Northwich River Festival today. Come along and talk to us. You can also make a caterpillar or a butterfly! 🐛 🦋

Why not come along to meet us at one of the events we're attending over the summer?
29/06/2026

Why not come along to meet us at one of the events we're attending over the summer?

It’s worth reporting on what the “Marshall’s Army” of volunteers have been up to this week. There was some tree work to ...
12/05/2026

It’s worth reporting on what the “Marshall’s Army” of volunteers have been up to this week. There was some tree work to be done - not felling trees, but cutting up and removing those that have recently fallen across paths. As always (unfortunately) there’s litter to be picked and we found plenty of it this week. Visitors to the Reserve will perhaps be aware that there have been some better-equipped professionals on site too - attending to the fallen/falling trees that were (slightly) beyond the volunteers’ capability! Follow our Friends of Marshall's Arm Local Nature Reserve page to keep up-to-date with what’s happening on the Reserve. You can also tag us in posts to report anything you want to bring to our attention.

If you go down to the woods today …… you may be surprised to see that a number of trees in the meadow area getting incre...
12/05/2026

If you go down to the woods today …… you may be surprised to see that a number of trees in the meadow area getting increasingly covered in ghostly silken webbing.

These striking and obvious webs hide hundreds and sometimes tens of thousands of caterpillars of a group of moths called the Small Ermine moths.

If you look closely you will see the culprits wriggling inside the webs.

The webs and caterpillars are harmless and usually last from May to June. The webs slowly disappear over the summer and typically the hedgerow shrubs/trees recover.

The adult moths fly later in summer and all look superficially similar, being white or greyish with many small black dots, hence the ermine name.

Another miracle of nature.

A bumper bioblitzOver 20 people attended the “Mammals and Birds” session of the Marshall’s Arm bioblitz event today.Grea...
04/05/2026

A bumper bioblitz

Over 20 people attended the “Mammals and Birds” session of the Marshall’s Arm bioblitz event today.

Great excitement amongst the children as they located the overnight mammal traps and got to witness the release the of 7 wood mice and one vole.

The butterflies remained elusive due to the cool weather, and there were plenty of birds giving us their dawn chorus, including the shy and moderately rare Ceti’s Warblers, that are now regular visitors to the reserve.

Blockage of the path now cleared.Thanks to the efforts of a small group of Marshall’s Arm volunteers the path down throu...
01/05/2026

Blockage of the path now cleared.

Thanks to the efforts of a small group of Marshall’s Arm volunteers the path down through the reserve has now been reopened.

Photos below show the before and after .

There is a very large tree down, between the Parks Close pedestrian access to the reserve, from Hartford, and the path n...
01/05/2026

There is a very large tree down, between the Parks Close pedestrian access to the reserve, from Hartford, and the path nearest to the River Weaver. The path is completely blocked and you can’t currently get round the tree safely. Please avoid the area if possible. It is still possible to enter the Reserve from Stones Manor Lane and exit using the bridge that leads through to Parks Close - from where you can access the River Weaver through the Redrow development.

Another task completed by Marshall's Arms' "army" of volunteers this week was some pignut planting. The pignut once grew...
23/04/2026

Another task completed by Marshall's Arms' "army" of volunteers this week was some pignut planting. The pignut once grew in abundance on an area of the Reserve known as "Pignut Hill".
In years gone by, the swollen root (nut) provided a tasty snack for children playing on nearby Twig Island.

Audrey and Richard Haffenden - two of MALNR's dedicated, long-serving supporters were recognised with a Civic Award duri...
21/04/2026

Audrey and Richard Haffenden - two of MALNR's dedicated, long-serving supporters were recognised with a Civic Award during a break in the volunteers' workday on Monday 20th April.

The Civic Award was presented by Hartford Civic Society and recognises the Haffendens' dedication and commitment to supporting the preservation and enhancement of habitats, consistently raising the profile of the Reserve, organising activities to increase visitors' enjoyment of the environment, raising awareness, and maximising education opportunities.

Keith Sexton was responsible for submitting a compelling award nomination on behalf of the MALNR Management Group which stated: "For over 25 years, Audrey and Richard have been instrumental in the management of the reserve, ensuring that it thrives and survives, and remains open and accessible to local people."

Audrey and Richard were typically modest about their contribution: "We were thrilled to receive the Civic Society Award, it was a great honour, but we really must give a shout out for all the hard-working and talented team - both the old guard and the new - who dedicate themselves to the continuing success of Marshall's Arm. Long may it continue!"

Congratulations to Audrey and Richard. The picture shows Audrey and Richard in the centre of the image. Lorna Byrne, Chair of Hartford Civic Society and MALNR volunteer is on the left and Keith Sexton from MALNR's Management Group is on the right.

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Northwich

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