Gwent Wildlife Trust
Gwent Wildlife Trust (
History
Its origins lie in the Monmouthshire Naturalists Trust, formed in 1963. In the 1980s the Trust was renamed the Gwent Trust for Nature Conservation, and then Gwent Wildlife Trust. Gwent was an administrative county between 1974 and 1996, covering a similar but not identical area to the historic county of Monmouthshire.
The Trust's first objective, under the then presidency of
Current activities and responsibilities
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The Trust currently manages over 800 acres (320 ha) of wildlife rich habitat including working farms, woodlands and marshes. Projects such as wild flower meadow restoration take place on the reserves. Its projects also involve reviving traditional countryside skills such as charcoal production and dry stone walling.[2]
The Trust currently designates four "Premier Reserves":
- grasshopper warbler and Cetti's warbler. It is the richest site in Wales for wetland beetles and soldier-flies.[3] It is the last remnant of fenland on the Caldicot and Wentloog Levels,[1] and its pattern of drainage ditches and other features has remained unchanged since the 14th century.[4][5]
- Pentwyn Farm. This covers 30 acres (12 ha) high above the dormice, adders-tongue fern, and many other species.[3]
- Silent Valley Nature Reserve. This covers 125 acres (51 ha), including Britain's highest area of beech woodland, together with wet woodland and flushes. The reserve is managed in partnership with Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council.[3]
- Springdale Farm. This covers 120 acres (49 ha) of working farmland, notable for its hay meadows and woodland flowers.[3]
Full list of reserves
- Allt-yr-yn, Newport
- Branches Fork Meadow, Pontypool
- Brockwells Meadow, Caerwent
- Caldicot Pill, Caldicot
- Coed Meyric Moel, Cwmbran
- SSSI, Trellech
- Dan Y Graig, Risca
- Dixton Embankment, Monmouth
- Drybridge Community Nature Park, Monmouth
- Graig Wood, Trellech
- Henllys Bog, Cwmbran
- Kitty's Orchard, Usk
- Margarets Wood, Whitebrook
- Lower Minnetts Field, Rogiet
- Magor Marsh SSSI, Magor
- Margaret's Wood, Whitebrook
- New Grove Meadows, Trellech
- Pentwyn Farm SSSI, Penallt
- Peterstone Wentlooge Marshes SSSI, Peterstone
- Priory Wood SSSI, Bettws Newydd
- Prisk Wood SSSI, Penallt
- Rogiet Poorland, Rogiet
- Silent Valley SSSI, Cwm
- Solutia Reserve at Great Traston Meadows, Nash
- Springdale Farm, Llangwm
- Strawberry Cottage Wood, Llanvihangel Crucorney
- The Wern, Monmouth
- Wyeswood Common, Trellech
References
- ^ a b c "Gwent Wildlife Trust". The Wildlife trust. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
- ^ "Gwent Wildlife Trust". The Big Give. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
- ^ a b c d A guide to the nature reserves of the Gwent Wildlife Trust, leaflet, 2009
- ^ "Magor Marshes – a summary of ecological information". Severnside Area Forum. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
- ^ "Magor Marsh". South East Wales. BBC. 8 March 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2009.