Torfaen’s Local Nature Reserves

Across Gwent we have 32 Nature Reserves that we manage for wildlife and you are very much welcome to visit them all. Each of our Local Authorities also have nature reserves, which are known as Local Nature Reserves (LNR). So, what exactly is a LNR and what makes them such special places? By

Andy Karran, Evidence Manager.

Local Nature Reserves are protected open green spaces for both wildlife and local people. They are designated by, and in control of, the Local Authority. They aim to:

• Maintain and enhance the habitats and species present.

• Provide an accessible green space for people to enjoy.

• Provide an accessible green space for people to learn about nature.

• Provide opportunities for community involvement and volunteering.

There are seven of these sites in Torfaen, with a further site proposed, these being:

Churchwood and Springvale

Ponds – A largely wooded site in Cwmbran, including Ancient Woodland full of spring flowers. A series of ponds and species-rich damp grassland further add to the diversity.

Cwmavon Corridor – A cycle track runs for 5km through this site following the old railway. This allows you to pass through an extensive area of ancient woodland home to the striking Pied Flycatcher and Redstart. An after-dark visit in the summer may reveal the eerie light of a Glow-worm!

Cwmynyscoy Quarry - A real little gem, it is a disused quarry near Pontypool that has been reclaimed by nature, with scrub/woodland and species-rich calcareous grassland that support a number of scarce butterflies and moths as well as orchids amongst the myriad of other species.

Garn Lakes - A large site with three lakes, blocks of woodland and swathes of species-rich grassland between Blaenavon and Brynmawr. A fantastic network of paths make this a great site to explore.

Henllys Open Space

- Largely surrounded by housing in Cwmbran, it is a real oasis for people and wildlife, with ancient woodland, species-rich grassland, a community orchard and ponds.

Llwyncelyn - This is at the cemetery and is the largest area of species-rich meadows in Torfaen. These meadows throng with insects and support a huge population of the scarce Dyer’s Greenweed. Woodland and ponds add to its value.

Tirpentwys – A great site, near Pontypool. It was a former tip, but you wouldn’t know it now as it is a superb mosaic of species-rich grassland full of insects and orchids, woodland full of birds, and areas of heath and watercourses also adding to the interest.

Blaenserchan (Proposed) – Another former industrial site reclaimed by nature, with the slopes of the valley supporting banks of purple heather, scrub, woodland and species-rich grassland. Peaceful but alive with wildlife.

Torfaen CBC are committed to ensuring these sites are superb havens for both wildlife and the public. As such they commissioned Gwent Wildlife Trust to write new 10 year Management Plans for each of the sites.

Last summer was spent surveying these fantastic sites, (I know, hard life!), and the winter writing the management plans. Each site has its own great features. Personal highlights from my visits were the speciesrich grasslands buzzing with insects at Llwyncelyn, dragon and damselflies darting everywhere at Garn Lakes, the peacefulness of Blaenserchan and the lightning fast lizards at Tirpentwys.

It is also heartening to know that 4 of the sites are former industrial sites (Cwmynyscoy Quarry, Garn Lakes, Tirpentwys and Blaenserchan), with a fifth (Cwmavon Corridor) repurposing an old railway, showing that with vision and the right management nature can reclaim these spaces and thrive.

Torfaen CBC manage these sites and great volunteers also assist in this. However, for each site to remain in great condition for all its users (both wildlife and people) is quite an undertaking. To assist with this, it is the intention to establish “Friends of” groups for each of the sites.

There is already a long established “Friend of Henllys LNR” group which has done much fantastic work, if similar croups could be established at the other 7 sites then great things will be achieved.

Work that the “Friends of” groups could get involved in range from the physical (scrub control, removal of invasive plants, path maintenance), monitoring of habitats/ species for a range of abilities (butterfly transects, nest-box checking, habitat condition assessments), administration of the group, promotion of the site, educational (guided walks) and anything else that will benefit the LNR. It could keep you fit, and be a great social activity whilst helping wildlife.

If you are interested in this then please contact either Rachel Edwards (Rachel. Edwards2@torfaen.gov.uk) or Mark Panniers (Mark.Panniers@torfaen.gov.uk).

Hopefully you will be able to get out and enjoy these 8 fantastic sites this year. If you do, and see any of the great wildlife please report your sightings to SEWBReC http:// www.sewbrec.org.uk/recording as this helps us to build a better picture of what is there and from this how to manage the sites better.

Citizen science programme suggests

○ The Bugs Matter survey finds bug splats on number plates have declined by 64% in less than 20 years

○ Conservationists describe the outlook for Gwent as “alarming” with the county seeing similar reductions to the national average

○ The announcement comes as the UK Government lifted a ban on pesticides that harm bees.

New analysis of data from the 2022 Bugs Matter survey, run by conservation charities Kent Wildlife Trust, Gwent Wildlife Trust and Buglife, suggests alarming declines in insect numbers in Gwent: the number of flying insects sampled on number plates by citizen scientists has declined by a massive 64% since 2004.

This is an increase from last year’s figures, which showed a 40% decline between 2004 and 2021. The news comes after the UK Government announced the permitted use of the banned pesticide thiamethoxam (a neonicotinoid) on sugar beet crops in England for the third year running, even after advocating for a global pesticide reduction target at the UN COP15 Biodiversity Conference in Montreal in December 2022. A single teaspoon of the neonicotinoid pesticide is enough to kill 1.25 billion bees.

The Bugs Matter Citizen Science Survey uses an innovative method for the large-scale surveying of flying insect abundance across the UK. The survey runs in summer and involves citizen scientists recording the number of insect splats on their vehicle number plates following a journey. Counting insects not only gives an estimate of the abundance of insect life but is also a measure of the health of the environment, so when their numbers fall it is an indication that nature is in trouble.

The Bugs Matter data also indicates that insect declines appear to be happening at the same rate in Gwent as the rest of the UK, where a 64% national decline in the number of bug splats on number plates was recorded across the same time period.

The results from the Bugs Matter surveys inform a growing requirement for conservation research, policy and practice targeted at insects. It is also hoped that the survey method could be adopted in other countries, with citizen scientists across the planet taking part to compile a hugely valuable global dataset.

Participation in the 2022 Bugs Matter survey in Gwent was impressive: the number of journeys increased from 172 to 250 between 2021 and 2022 and the top two journey recorders in Gwent logged 75 and 72 journeys over the lifetime of the Bugs Matter survey.

Head of Nature Recovery Gemma Bodé said, “We are pleased that so many citizen scientists in Gwent signed up to the Bugs Matter survey! The data we’re generating means that for the first time we can get a county-wide estimate of how insect populations are changing over time. The results from these first few years are very concerning, but can help us understand the long-term trends in insect numbers in Gwent and focus our work in reversing these declines.”

You can see the full results here: https://www.gwentwildlife. org/news/bugs-matterresults-2022