Visitors to Calon y Fferi recently will have seen boards going up all over the place proclaiming ‘Wildlife refuge’ and noticed areas that seem unkempt and in need of good strimming!

Well, it’s all for a very good reason.

As a part of the centre’s Enviromental and Sustainability Policy, we have looked at all the different parts of the site and defined and marked those that have a high value in terms of the range of native plants, animals and fungi that we’ve recorded. Some areas have flowers and butterflies typical of untreated grassland. Others have a type of diversity that has developed because of human activity, such as where waste organic materials has been dumped in the past. None of these areas are very big; in fact, a couple are only a few yards square. Nonetheless, they are valuable in a world where much wildlife is under threat of extinction.

Much of the open space will still be mown, such as the central public garden and the market area. Every part will have a management plan that defines the type of habitat and how we plan to conserve and enhance the species found there during our ongoing surveys. Information board are being developed and access planned, which will enable the public to enjoy the sights, sounds and scents.

We welcome involvement by local groups and individuals in what we consider is a ground-breaking scheme, where a public-access site with a wide range of uses and different habitats is treated as a wildlife haven. Please contact us on wildlife@calonyfferi.org or or bywydgwyllt@calonyfferi.org if you would like to join us.

December 2019