Wildlife boost for Swansea forest

WILDLIFE is set to blossom in a forest in the north of Swansea when work is completed to create specialist habitats.

Swansea Council's Nature Conservation Team is working with Forestry Commission Wales in Penllergaer Forest to create the perfect conditions for different wildlife such as birds and insects to thrive.

Work is underway to create small pieces of land called wildlife scrapes that feature a shallow body of water.

Penllergaer Forest spreads over 800 hectares of land and features mixed woodland. The forest is already a popular area for walkers with a network of footpaths that offer a valuable recreational beneift for locals and visitors.

Sean Hathaway, Swansea Council's Conservation Officer, said: "Wildlife scrapes are simply areas of land covered by varying depths of water up to approximately a metre in depth. We are using a contractor to carry out the work using specialist plant machinery.

"The work will benefit a variety of different wildlife species in the forest that thrive in wet habitats. It will boost biodiversity."

Jonathan Price, a Community Ranger with Forestry Commission Wales, said: "It's great that we can work with the Council for the benefit of wildlife and local biodiversity. It will be great to see how the wet areas develop and how in time they will increase the biodiversity within the forest."

The work has been funded by the Environment Agency.

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