Ancient Trees have been found on WTSWW reserves
WTSWW has taken part in the Ancient Tree hunt and has found a number of venerable trees in our eastern reserves. An ancient oak found on our Brynna reserve, pictured here being measured by WTO Tim Jones and Community Officer Chris Matts, elicited an enthusiastic response from those who went to see it, it is the remnant of an ancient hedgerow and is spectacular with a girth of 5m 50cm, another veteran was found at Coed Garnllwyd reserve in Llancarfen with a girth of 5m 40cm.
This is a five year project to record at least 100,000 of the UK’s oldest trees by 2011. The database held at www.AncientTreeHunt.org.uk and managed by the Woodland Trust, in partnership with 70 other organisations. is the first living record of the UK’s old trees ever attempted.
After the first three years of the project, tree fans and members of the public have found and recorded nearly 56,000 ancient, veteran and notable trees on the website, adding details like the size of its girth, photos and stories connected with the tree.
All trees submitted by members of the public are checked by one of the Ancient Tree Hunt’s volunteer verifiers.
By mapping and recording where old trees are and their numbers, the Ancient Tree Hunt aims to be the first step in the protection and care of a vital, and irreplaceable, part of our national heritage and history as well of the ecological security of many native species.
Old trees even when dying provide a unique habitat for thousands of insects, birds, fungi and lichen. 150-200 rare and threatened species are associated with ancient trees, including 27 Red Data Book beetles. Despite this, old trees, unlike old buildings, do not have automatic protection.
Literally anyone can get involved in the project. By recording your favourite tree (even if it’s not ancient), and telling us how important it is to you and your family or community, you have ensured it is recognised and not lost for future generations.
BrynnaWoods and Llanharan Marsh Community Nature Reserve
Brynna Woods and Llanharan Marsh Community Nature Reserve is one of the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales’ (WTSWW) most recent nature reserves, covering over 38ha of semi-natural broadleaved woodland and marshy grassland, nestled between the two communities of Brynna and Llanharan (RCT).
WTSWW took over ownership of the reserve in May 2009 as a result of a Section 106 agreement between eco-housing developers and Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council (RCTCBC). The agreement sees a financial commitment to the reserve for the next 25 years.
An official opening launch of the Community Nature Reserve was held on Wednesday 10th February 2010 at an event involving the local Brynnau Primary School, Local Community Council representatives and volunteers from the area.
The launch marks the beginning of a long-term management programme for the reserve, one which will heavily involve the local community who have supported the project for many years. A community consultation undertaken in 2009 identified that local residents adjacent to the reserve desired habitat improvements, increased access and litter removal as key factors in any future management.
With financial support from the Community Council WTSWW will be able undertake the necessary improvements, having already created an outdoor classroom for children at the nearby Brynnau Primary School.
Although the reserve has a diversity of habitats, past management neglect has meant that the marshy grassland is slowly being encroached by willow and scrub, reducing its overall biodiversity value. This eventually led to the sites de-notification as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1990, when it once supported the Marsh Fritillary butterfly (Euphydryas aurinia), a European Protected Species. The management plan therefore, aims to reduce the amount of scrub encroachment across the grassland habitat and in time reinstate cattle grazing, which has been absent for several years. In addition pools and scrapes will be created to benefit breeding amphibians and freshwater invertebrates.
The expansion of woodland and scrub however has been beneficial to another species, the Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius), which can still be found throughout the woodland habitat. In order to encourage the distribution of Dormouse across the reserve, the management plan aims to reinstate traditional woodland management techniques such as coppicing and hedge laying, ensuring that different woodland blocks are connected. All these improvements will be done with help from local volunteers and the community.
Ecological surveys planned for 2010, will be able to shed more light on the true ecological significance of the community nature reserve and will further improve habitat management decisions.
For future events and work parties regarding the Brynna and Llanharan Community Nature Reserve please contact:
Robert Jones Parry
Conservation Manager
01656724100
r.parry@welshwildlife.org
The start of 2010 has brought the first sighting of a bittern at Dow Corning Nature Centre! The bittern, is a very secretive bird which is very difficult to see! They often hide in the reeds, moving silently, hunting for fish, amphibians and insects! They are part of the heron family, Ardeidae and look like small brown herons with a shorter neck!
Picture by MJ Clarke
The distinct booming call of a bittern is often the first sign of their presence. Male bitterns start to boom as early as January in order to establish a territory and find a mate! When alarmed bitterns imitate the reeds by sticking their head straight up in the air and swaying in the wind.
The bittern is on the red species list. Reed beds are extremely important for the survival of this bird along with other species such as Cettis warbler, bearded tit and marsh harrier.
The bittern pictured above was taken by MJ Clarke at Kenfig, many wading birds struggled in the last month as they were unable to get to the water below the ice, excluding them from both their vital food source and from drinking water.
Habitat Enhancements in Bridgend
The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (WTSWW) has been working closely with Bridgend County Borough Council (BCBC) and Laleston Community Council (LCC) to make recommendations for improving the conservation interest of one of the largest housing estates in the County – Broadlands.
The Broadlands estate comprises of over 2500 residential houses, located on the western outskirts of Bridgend Town centre, making the area one of the largest modern housing developments in Britain. As well as housing and associated gardens, Broadlands support a number of semi-natural habitats including broadleaved woodland, hedgerows and semi-improved grasslands.
WTSWW was approached in May 2009 by LCC and BCBC to undertake a survey of the whole estate and make suitable recommendations for the benefit of four main objectives:-
- Biodiversity
- Community Involvement
- Environment and
- Landscape
The survey identified 43 individual sites, where biodiversity enhancement schemes were recommended, ranging from small scale changes to the existing grassland mowing regimes, to the creation of allotments and orchards and night gardens for bats and moths.
In addition the biodiversity enhancements, most projects identified rely on the involvement of the local community to help first of all create the habitat and then to manage it in the long-term. The community spirit and volunteer time will be crucial in undertaking many of the proposed recommendations
It is hoped that with a continued partnership between WTSWW, BCBC & LCC coupled with the enthusiasm of the community real benefits to local biodiversity can be made.
An unusual visitor to Lavernock
A female Red Veined Darter has been spotted on our Lavernock reserve, near Cardiff. It is a migrant to this country and is normally resident and common in the Mediterranean and ranges widely in warm parts of Africa and Asia. Only the males have red veins in the wings. The sighting was at Lavernock Point Nature Reserve in September by reserve wardens Tony Messinger and Jeff Curtis – the sighting was verified and photographed by Mike Clark.