Natur Cymru

Issue 27

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NC 27 Mammal detective

Mammal detective

Not all wildlife is approachable, sitting still (plants) or giving away its presence by singing (birds). Mammals are particularly difficult, and you have to learn a language of signs and smells and… scats. HUW JENKINS, having volunteered to learn the art of mammal-detecting, passes on some tips to those who might like to tread the same path.

Summary

NC 27 Wyeswood

A once and future common

Large expanses of rye grass are functional but dull. The chance to take a dairy farm back to its Wyeswood Common roots was so exciting that one Wildlife Trust had to pursue it. JULIAN BRANSCOMBE tells the story of a major acquisition; imaginations have been fired and energies released. Wyeswood still has a long way to go back to the future, but it will become a grazed mosaic of woodland edge and flowery glade once more.

Conserving Wales’ last semi-wild ponies

Native ponies have roamed freely in Wales for perhaps three millennia. A century ago, an estimated 10,000 untamed beasts were an integral part of our remotest landscapes, from the Llanrhidian marshes to the Carneddau massif. Precious cultural heritage, they have helped define Wales’ history and character. Today, relatively few survive, with potentially alarming consequences for our rich biodiversity. DAVID ANTHONY MURRAY reports.

Valleys Regional Park

Within an exciting, rumpled topography, the South Wales valleys hide many environmental treasures, and are home to many people. Bringing people and environment together, and working with communities so that 'the Valleys' becomes a byword for a high quality environment for people and nature, is the task facing Wales’ first Regional Park, as BERRY COFFMAN explains

Life in the leaf litter

Leaf litter is an essential part of any woodland ecosystem; but how many people are aware of the incredible faunal diversity that can be found with very little effort? On a recent visit to north Wales, SHANE FARRELL made some surprising and exciting finds as well as, according to records currently available, what appears to be a new species of springtail for the whole of Wales.

Meadows for Nature – a National Botanic Garden of Wales Perspective

Think of the National Botanic Garden of Wales (NBGW) and you’ll probably bring to mind its iconic Great Glasshouse and historic Double Walled Garden. But there is also a wonderful organic farm attached to the NBGW, spread over 20 fields and covering 400 acres. This is managed not only as a working farm, but one that actively encourages the spread of native wild plants. TIM BEVAN and BRUCE LANGRIDGE describe some of the lessons which have been learnt.

NC 27 Sarah Jones

The River Watcher

SARAH JONES’ interest in the environment dates back to her childhood days on a farm in north Wales. Wildlife experiences close to home and further afield have been a source of inspiration to her. But despite travelling extensively to all parts of the globe, she has chosen to stay in Wales to forge a career in nature conservation. In this article she describes her current job with the Environment Agency and shares her enthusiasm for working with wildlife.

This article is written in Welsh. A translation is available on request.

In at the deep end - restoring open water at Bosherston Lakes

Sometimes drastic action is called for to re-start the processes of natural succession and save a much-loved and valuable landscape. The upper reach of Bosherston lakes western arm was in-filling, and becoming a swamp; could a huge problem be turned into a valuable resource for local farmers? BOB HAYOCK and IAN BENNETT decided to try to restore the area, and lived to tell the tale.