Biodiversity activity in Wales
In Wales, where we have a 15 year contract to 2020 to operate and maintain Dwr Cymru Welsh Water’s assets, we are helping to manage biodiversity in partnership with other organisations.
We carried out a diverse range of activities over the last year. We are working on a project at Llandegfedd funded by the Countryside Council for Wales to restore and create new species rich hedgerows to replace those lost over the years to agricultural changes. The project also covers the improvement of habitat for a planned water vole re-introduction programme. This involves the creation of new habitat areas, assessing and controlling mink populations and extending and creating areas of reedbed.
In the Elan Valley we are also surveying water voles. This shows that this catchment is a National Key Area for the species. Further survey work will be undertaken in the coming year to help determine actions needed.
Also in the Elan Valley we are restoring 47 hectares of plantations on ancient woodland sites (PAWS). This involves clearfelling conifers and replanting with a variety of native broadleaf species grown from locally collected seeds. These new woodlands will join together existing native broadleaved woodlands.
At Brenig, the Elan Valley and the Brecon Beacons we have signed Better Woodland for Wales management contracts for five years which will attract substantial grant aid towards biodiversity, access, recreation, education and interpretation projects. Recently at Brecon we have put up 30 bird boxes, installed two new picnic benches, three benches and are in the process of sourcing locally produced hardwood for interpretation signs and way marking posts.
This conservation work is supported with education sites offering information and learning around water and wildlife. Our site in the Elan Valley is the first site in Wales to have won the Learning Outside the Classroom Award in recognition of the sustainable, safe and high quality learning facilities we provide for over 100 schools each year.
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