Manx Wildlife Trust: Interactive map of nature reserves put online

An interactive map of all of Manx Wildlife Trust's nature reserves has been put online.

The 25 Isle of Man reserves stretch across 13 of the island's 17 parishes on land and sea.

The trust has worked with the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture to produce the Island Environment mapping app.

The areas include sand dunes, heather moorland, orchid meadows, wooded glens and urban areas for wildlife.

The map, which includes national nature reserves, marine nature reserves, areas of special scientific interest, bird sanctuaries, and registered tree areas, shows protected areas and those designated for conservation or wildlife.

Although wildlife designated areas do not have statutory protection, they are taken into consideration by the planning application system and the Isle of Man Strategic and Area Plans

There are currently 67 of those sites.

Trust CEO Leigh Morris said making the mapping available online was a "significant step towards forming a Nature Recovery Network" on the island.

The network would "identify and map all protected and important areas of nature on land and at sea, and work to ensure they are expanded, enhanced and better connected by 2030", he said.

Currently, 10.8% of the Manx territorial sea and 18.5% of the island's land are designated for nature, however, the trust aimed to see those figures grow to 30% during the time frame, he added.

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