Reserves News:
Rhayader Tunnel - Over the last few weeks the Tuesday Volunteers have been strimming and raking off grass, clearing scrub and have felled a number of larch at the south end of the reserve.
Click on the 'read more' below for further news on work being carried out at Rhayader Tunnel, Llanbwchllyn and Gilfach.
At Rhayader Tunnel the Trust has spent the last 10 years removing larch and other non-native trees, which were planted by a previous owner, and this project is almost complete. Flower rich grassland and native trees and shrubs are benefitting from the increased space and light. The grassland is being cut and raked to maintain it in a flower rich state. A particular speciality of the grassland is wood bitter-vetch Vicia orobus – look out for its pale pink flowers in June. With the popular Sustrans Elan Valley cycle path running through it, this one of our most visited reserves, and we have also been cutting back vegetation along the path to make sure it remains clear.
Llanbwchllyn – The felling of the conifers around the lake shore is well under way. We are using a contractor with small-scale machinery in order to minimise damage to the ground and, whilst this means that the work will take longer to complete, the site will recover much more quickly as a result. We will allow access to the bird hide as much as possible during the work, but it may be necessary to close the path at times. As the usual parking area is being used to stack timber on, please park carefully by the entrance gate and follow any warning signs during your visit. The water level in the lake remains unusually low following a dry summer, but is gradually increasing now.
Gilfach – Conifer felling work is also continuing in Coed Gamallt this winter, as part of a long term project to restore native broadleaved woodland. It will be necessary to close the path along the old railway line below the woodland during some of the work. Please follow any warning signs during your visit.
