IV.

Plants and Animals

Forestry is important in Cheshire and large parts of the ancient Delamere and Macclesfield forests have been restored with plantings by the Forestry Commission. The Delamere Forest, which lies between Chester and Northwich, was once a hunting area. It is now a nature reserve, and the haunt of badgers, foxes, sparrowhawks, and kestrels, among other creatures. A short distance away to the south-east, at Little Budworth, is a country park that includes woodland, bogs, and heaths. Varieties of birds including the green woodpecker, tree pipits, wood warblers, and willow warblers are to be found there. At Stapeley Water Gardens, near Nantwich, many varieties of water lily are to be seen. The Wirral Country Park, on the south-western side of the peninsula, consists of cliffs, ponds, mudflats, and wooded embankments, and has many wading birds, foxes, and badgers.