Welcome to our annual Llwyni Valley Nature Reserve News where we report on the environmental work we have been carrying out in the area.
REPORT 2021: Since the start of the pandemic its been great to see an increase in people discovering Llwyni and Broadoak, however littering and dog fouling has also increased putting pressure on our small team. The Reserve Team has been busy on a range of tasks, including woodland management, path maintenance and responding to weather related damage. We continue to receive regular calls from residents regarding trees along the boundary of our sites, which are managed primarily for the benefit of wildlife. Unfortunately, we do not carry out work on trees when issues are linked to light or debris. The mosaic of nature reserves around Llwyni, Broadoak and Gathering Grounds are a unique and vital habitat and we hope you continue to enjoy them .
BROADOAK WOOD STORM: Unfortunately the main path that runs through Broadoak Woods remains closed following storm damage in January 2021. We are hopeful repairs will take be able to take place in mid summer. As the site is a SSSI , we are limited to when and where work can be carried out. The work will require a large amount of stone and materials to be moved through the site which could impact on wildlife. In the meantime, a path diversion is in place and the remaining paths around Llwyni and Gathering Grounds are open.
WILDLIFE: Llwyni and Broadoak Woods provide a valuable home for wildlife in an increasingly urban area. During early spring 2021 our reserve team conducted badger surveys across Wild Ground’s Connah’s Quay reserves. The results suggest that the badger population in the area is thriving and the team also spotted signs that the wildlife corridors which connect the reserves are in frequent use.
Many of Britain’s iconic woodland flowers have been in bloom in Broadoak Woods this spring from lesser celandine to carpets of wood anemones and bluebells . This array is a positive indictor of the woodland’s health. Woodland covers 13.2% of the UK yet only 7% of are in ‘good condition‘, (Woodland Trust, 2021).
We hope that we can continue to preserve and improve the quality of our reserves for future generations to enjoy.