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It’s hard to imagine that Wyeswood Common has now been under the
ownership of Gwent Wildlife Trust for 18 months and I have been in
post for over a year! With the exception of silage cutting and
a flurry of contractual works carried out earlier this spring, most
of the work in the initial stages of the Project went on in the
background. However I am happy to report this spring and summer has
resulted in some visible changes to the Reserve as we steadily
implement our plans. New hedges that were planted in March are
establishing well, surviving the rabbits and deer; areas of wetland
that were created are trickling away nicely and crucial works to the
site infrastructure are bringing us nearer to the re-introduction of
livestock in the months to come.
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So far this summer the first of two silage cuts has taken place on
the reserve (though the weather has meant a couple of the fields has
been left uncut) and the field of Organic oats planted in the spring
has grown well and will soon be ready for harvest.
A major consideration of my work over the summer has been on making
Wyeswood more visitor friendly. A draft access plan has been drawn
up identifying potential circular routes taking in Pentwyn Farm,
Wyeswood and beyond.
On-site interpretation will follow to enable
visitors to learn about the conservation interest at Wyeswood and
our long term aims to attract more wildlife to the Reserve.
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Organic Oats at Wyeswood |
Plans are also underway to enhance the limited vehicular access
facilities at Pentwyn Farm by constructing a new access track onto
Wyeswood Common via Glyn Road. The planning application has been
submitted to Monmouthshire Country Council following local
consultation. If successful the new track will allow for the
possible future extension of the education facilities at Pentwyn and
allow more people to enjoy their local countryside.
It will however take time for all these new access improvements to
be realised as focus in the short term has to be on making the site
stock proof. In addition, plans to undertake tree planting across a
large part of the reserve will involve the construction of deer
fence on the lower reaches of Wyeswood this Autumn. This is
necessary to protect the saplings from the deer pressure and allow
the new woodland to establish. More details will follow in the next
web report!
Volunteers have been engaging heavily in the project as always.
Newly trained and recruited nest box checkers kept a watchful eye
over the breeding birds and the dormice populations are now being
monitored. A new volunteer work group dedicated to Wyeswood and
Pentwyn has begun regular practical tasks on the reserves under the
watchful eye of Keith Allen, a long term GWT volunteer. These are
just a few examples of the support given by volunteers to the
Project and I am continually grateful that people are willing to
give up their time to help us! If you would like to help look after
Wyeswood Common please join Keith and his new volunteer group. They
meet once a month on Sundays between 10 and 4.
Please contact me for more information or to learn more about any
aspect of the Wyeswood Common Project.
Annette Murray
amurray@gwentwildlife.org
Wyeswood Common Project Officer, Gwent Wildlife
Trust. |
