BEAT NatureWatch group aims to protect and enhance the wonderful variety of wildlife and its habitats within Blackpool. We would like to encourage you to get out there and look for, report and most of all ENJOY your local wildlife.Many people wrongly think Blackpool is so built up there is no wildlife in the town. We have Harbour Porpoises and Grey Seals in our coastal waters along with an internationally important population of the sea duck Common Scoter. In the town centre you can often see Peregrine Falcons. North Pier hosts a spectacular Starling roost most winter evenings. Some of our parks and open spaces are home to the very scarce and threatened White Letter Hairstreak butterfly and especially in the north east of the town the ponds and wetlands are home to the internationally protected Great Crested Newt. Marton Mere Local Nature Reserve is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest, mainly for its bird life but a huge variety of other wildlife can be seen there both common and rare.The group recently received over £30,000 to turn the redundant poorly drained Lawson's Road sports field in to a superb wetland habitat and raised the footpath so it is now easier to cross and affords a view across the ponds. This project was achieved in partnership with the council's Ranger Service, Pond Conservation Trust and the Environment Agency.Improvements to the Staining Nook Marsh drainage and wetland habitat have been carried out by in partnership with the council's Ranger Service, Natural England and the Environment Agency.Other exciting habitat improvement and development projects are in the pipeline...watch this space!