Consultation on region's nature strategy launched

The Wirral coastline boasts one of the natural attractions in Merseyside

A six-week public consultation on an environmental strategy for the Liverpool City Region has been launched.

Mayor Steve Rotheram has urged people to contribute to the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), saying there has been "a worrying decline in our habitats and biodiversity" over the past decades.

"The Local Nature Recovery Strategy is about turning the tide, identifying the best ways to restore and enhance habitats, and ensuring that nature can thrive across our region."

Local officials say the area has experienced a 5% loss of land habitats since the 1980s "including 10% of its most biodiverse grasslands".

The Liverpool City Region contains four internationally recognised wetlands and 18 sites of special scientific interest.

Among them is Formby, famous for its red squirrel colony, and the beaches along the Wirral coastline.

The consultation will run until 6 April.