Pupils visit green roof

Primary school youngsters will get a bird's - and bug's - eye view of Manchester when they visit a garden created above the city's streets.

Pupils from Brookburn Primary School in Chorlton will be taking part in a morning of environmental activities as they investigate the Unicorn Grocery's 825 sqr mtr flat roof which has been transformed into a haven for birds and insects.

The roof has been planted with a wide variety of vegetation, creating a mixture of habitats, including a pond surrounded with water plants.

It is one of a growing number of green roofs across the city, ranging from small-scale installations on garden sheds through to large-scale vegetated roofs on city centre developments.

Manchester City Council is now encouraging residents across the city to continue the trend by building green roofs of their own.

Green roofs can be created above buildings as small as garden sheds, but can still play important roles, including reducing the effects of climate change by providing more CO2-absorbing plants, reducing the risk of flooding by providing water-absorbing soil and contributing to the area's biodiversity.

Councillor Eddy Newman, Executive Member for Neighbourhood Services, said: "This visit is a valuable way of demonstrating the importance of green roofs, which the City Council is keen to promote. As well as making Manchester a greener place for our residents to live, they can also provide a boost for the city's wildlife."

Adele Jordan from Unicorn said: "We're delighted about opening the roof up to local children, so that they can see for themselves that cities don't have to be concrete jungles, and that they can and do provide habitat for a wide range of birds, plants and insects. It's just about being aware of the possibilities."

Anyone who is interested in finding out how to create a green roof should visit www.wildaboutmanchester.info or contact Jonathan Sadler on 0161 234 1871.

Manchester City Council launched Challenge Manchester - 100 Days to a cleaner, greener city 2008 on February 14 2008 at Manchester Town Hall.

The campaign will run until 24 May 2008, featuring 100 days of intense activity all over Manchester with the first 50 days focussing on green issues - primarily waste minimisation, recycling and climate change - and the next 50 days focussing on community clean-ups, local environmental improvements and planting schemes.

The council will also be asking residents and businesses about what they want the council to do to help them minimise waste and recycle more.

Challenge Manchester began in 2004 with "Challenge Manchester: 100 Days to a Clean City", and in its fifth successful year the campaign returns to its core aim to "clean up" the city.

More information about Challenge Manchester and how you can participate appears on our website www.challengemanchester.co.uk . You can also e-mail campaigns.team@notes.manchester.gov.uk or telephone 0161 954 9000.

Media contact:

Conrad Astley, tel: 0161 234 4027