In 2009, Radnorshire Wildife Trust received funding from Biffaward to set up the Heather, Pillwort and Pools Project. This meant being able to employ a Project Officer to carry out survey work on Beacon Hill for a one year period.

The Project Officer, Sue Buckingham, ended her work in 2010 but fortunately Biffaward provided funding to carry on the project in 2011. It is now being managed by Radnorshire Wildlife Services who are carrying out further surveys with their own staff and with volunteers.

Photo by Sue Buckingham

The aims of the project are:

• to gather up-to-date information about the species of birds, plants animals and insects on the Beacon.
• to reduce the areas of bracken.
• to improve the conservation value of the ponds.

Project Officer, Sue Buckingham organised and undertook a lot of the survey work herself. More specialist surveys have been carried out by Radnorshire Wildlife Services who won a competitive tender process. The Beacon is owned by the Crown Estates and subject to rights of "common" whereby local landowners are given certain rights. These include allowing individuals to have open access for quiet enjoyment, to graze livestock and to cut bracken. The Crown Estate has a conservation lease with Radnorshire Wildlife Trust to:

"preserve, maintain and enhance the landscape, historic and archaeological interest and flora and fauna."

In addition, there is a sporting lease which is let to a local farmer who manages the heather to encourage red grouse. Heather moorland declined rapidly between 1947 and 1989 in England and Wales as land was improved to increase agricultural production. Yet despite this, seventy-five percent of the world's remaining heather moorland is still found in Britain with 80,000ha here in Wales. Beacon Hill makes up a small but important part of this area.

Acknowledgements

The project is funded by Biffaward which is a multi-million pound environment fund managed by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts which uses landfill tax credits donated by Biffa Waste Services.

We would like to thank the sporting tenant and the many landowners continuing to give their time, help and support to the project. Also to the volunteer surveyors without whom this project would not be possible.