Biodiversity across the Brecon Beacons National Park has been given a boost thanks to funding from the Welsh Government’s Local Places for Nature fund.
The Brecon Beacons National Park is one of the most well-visited areas in Wales, boasting some of its highest peaks and greenest landscapes. But behind the popular hikes and lush vistas are a team working to preserve the area’s biodiversity.
In 2020/21, the Brecon Beacons LNP has received a grand total of £70,000 in Local Places for Nature funding, administered by Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA), to spend on eleven environmental growth projects across the Park.
The projects have enhanced and improved many of the National Park's green spaces, benefitting the local nature and its recovery.
‘In Wales, and globally, biodiversity continues to undergo dramatic declines,’ says James Marsden, Authority Landscape and Biodiversity Member Champion.
‘Here in the Brecon Beacons we are addressing this through the delivery of the Nature Recovery Action Plan which we launched in July 2019 to guide the work of our Local Nature Partnership and restore the Park’s natural environment.’
National Park staff carried out works at sites including the National Park Visitor Centre where hedgerows were widened, and pollinator friendly native flowers planted.
Likewise, Craig-y-nos Country Park benefitted from hedgerow improvements, alongside the planting of 9,500 locally sourced plug plants in woodland areas.
A total of 102 bat and bird boxes were purchased and distributed to sites including Hay-on-Wye Scout Hut and Carreg Cennen Castle woodlands, giving breeding wildlife a safe place to rear young each year.
‘A more resilient, nature rich park…’
Funding also supported two community-based projects: a wildflower meadow at Cwmbeth Close, Crickhowell and the planting of local variety fruit trees along the Govilon Line.
Further to this the Environmental Growth strand of funding enabled Brecon Beacons Local Nature Partners to focus on bigger projects at two separate Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Other highlights of the work done thanks to the new funding include the replacement of a boardwalk to enable safe access to wetland areas, as well as a seed harvester to collect native wildflower seeds and disperse them around the park.
‘As demonstrated through the eleven nature-based projects, by working together with partner organisations, communities and landowners we can achieve a more resilient, nature-rich National Park that benefits us all,’ says James.
2023 LNP Cymruwebsite by WiSS