An update from the trusts in Wales, May/June 23

The trusts aross Wales have been busy with plenty of campaigns, appeals, project work, reserve management and much more! Get a taste of what they have been up to right here.

South & West Wales

Exciting news for Red Squirrels in Wales!

Our Mid Wales Red Squirrel Partnership has announced that it is expanding its focal site, which is great news for our resident Red squirrels!

The expansion comes as a response to changes in the range of the Red squirrels. The buffer zone, which formerly followed the Teifi River, now encompasses Pontrhydfendigaid, Tregaron, and Lampeter. This increased area represents an important step in conserving the last remaining genetically unique population of Red squirrels in Wales.

Discover the amazing world of the Red Squirrel!

Montgomeryshire

Flourishing Species

It’s been wildlife surveying season at Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust, and we’ve been pleased to get encouraging results for two of our key species: the Pearl-bordered Fritillary, butterfly recorded in only nine known sites across Wales, six of which are in Montgomeryshire, and the endearing Hazel Dormouse, happily found on several of our nature reserves.

Close-up image of a hazel dormouse asleep in its nest. — Hazel dormouse © Terry Whittaker/2020VISION

Amazing people work

Our work with communties, whether for ecotherapy or for education, is set to benefit from a couple of reclaimed shipping containers we’ve installed on two of our most visited sites, Llyn Coed y Dinas and Severn Farm Pond, both in Welshpool. Cladded with local timber, these structures will have energy and heating, enabling us to do outreach in all-weathers and during those pesky dark winter evenings.

Our Stand for Nature Wales youth action groups have been busy too, with film-making, debates, mini-beast hunts and visits to the Montgomery Canal, the subject of a campaign of ours. They also joined the other Welsh Trusts at the Urdd Eisteddfod.

Dyfi Ospreys return

The winged residents of Cors Dyfi Nature Reserve just outside Machynlleth, Osprey breeding pair Idris and Telyn, are currently rearing two chicks, while the youngest member of the beaver family – which live in a seven-acre enclosure on the reserve – has been named Bracken (to join Barti, Bedwen and Byrti).

Dyfi Osprey chick, May 2023 © Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust

Reclaimed shipping container, Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust

Pearl-bordered Fritillary, May 2023 © Montgomeryshire wildlife trust

Nature events Phe with Elephant hawk moth, Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust © Emyr Evans

Radnorshire

Adopt a Patch of Land at Wilder Pentwyn Farm

Radnorshire Wildlife Trust have launched a new and novel way to help them secure the land at Pentwyn Farm and achieve their vision for natures recovery. Since the purchase of the 164-acre hill farm on Llanbister Road, Powys in October 2021, the Trust have been busy working towards repaying the £1.5 million loan they took out, whilst building an ambitious 30-year vision for the future. Over £900,000 has already been raised, but there is still a way to go to reach their goal and secure the land. You can be part of Pentwyn and adopt a unique 3mx3m square of land to support the creation of a Wilder Pentwyn Farm and make the Trust’s vision for change a reality.

Support Pentwyn today

Marbled white butterfly, Credit - Silvia Cojocaru — Marbled white butterfly © Silvia Cojocaru

Gwent

Appeals, projects and people – all progress for wildlife in Gwent!

Our RCF (Resilient Communities Fund) work is well underway. A leaflet and survey have gone out with our magazine, as well as many other listening exercises, and new events on our website. Gwent is also welcoming a new Communications Coordinator Emily MacAulay as part of the RCF project, so welcome Emily!

The Nature Network Fund, round 2, is moving forwards, not least with some exciting and innovative digital solutions to conservation needs and visitor engagement. We’re also thrilled to announce the launch of the Nature Recovery Fund which has already raised nearly £24k of our £100k goal!

Discover Gwent Wildlife Trusts work today

Credit - Neil Aldridge — Gwent Levels - Neil Aldridge

North Wales

A warm welcome to our returning birds!

Along with the return of our breeding pair to the Brenig Osprey Project, who have presented us with some fine chicks, we’ve welcomed returning arctic, common and Sandwich terns for their breeding season at our Cemlyn Nature Reserve - Wales’ only Sandwich tern nesting colony.

Visit Cemlyn

We’ve also had lots of visits from BBC Springwatch production teams as they filmed throughout the spring at our Gwaith Powdwr and Cemlyn Nature Reserves, and broadcast live on three dates in June during this years’ Springwatch season. At Gwaith Powdwr, a former explosives factory site where we have helped nature re-establish itself since we took it over in 1998.

Visit Gwaith Powdwr

And at Cemlyn Nature Reserve, the team had filmed the arrival of the terns in April and the birds’ fascinating courtship and mating rituals; the finale included baby chicks born on the day of the live broadcast!

What an incredible place this, and it’s absolute proof that even the most industrial places of this world can be reclaimed by nature if we just give it a chance.

Gillian Burke, Springwatch presenter