South Ribble

When people ask where I am MP for, I frequently get a slightly panicked look in response. To counter this problem, I have renamed us “South Ribble, you know, the bit under Preston”.

But that doesn’t tell you about the beauty of our lowland area. Bounded to the north by the River Ribble, we are a little bowl between the Pennines and the sea, hosting a series of waterways running down from high ground. These weave through our countryside and leave in their path a complex, yet beautiful, ecosystem. Acres of lowland peat, unique saltmarsh habitats and far-reaching tidal flats are some of South Ribble’s most striking features.

It is the perfect location for a spot of birdwatching, so bring your binoculars. If you are lucky, it is possible to spot incredible species, including huge flocks of pinkfooted geese, wigeons, avocets, lapwings, little egrets, marsh harriers and redshanks. I would urge visitors to drop in to one of our fantastic nature reserves; RSPB Hesketh Out Marsh and Brockholes Nature Reserve are idyllic, or the adjacent world-famous Martin Mere.

Not only are our tidal flats and marshes a treasure trove of wildlife, they are also important for carbon capture – it’s not all about peat and trees.

“Blue Carbon” refers to carbon captured and stored in coastal and marine ecosystems – a form of carbon capture that could prove instrumental in combatting the climate crisis. People talk about the power of seaweed and kelp, however, recent research in South Ribble undertaken by Manchester Metropolitan University found one restored saltmarsh stores as much carbon over four years as just over a million new trees grown for 10 years. Blue Carbon and the power of saltmarshes is perhaps something that has previously been misunderstood and unloved.

South Ribble would be delighted to welcome you to see its saltmarshes for yourself!