Onsite Biodiversity is being managed with an emphasis on the following key areas:

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Hedgerows

 

Work has begun to restore the defunct sections of hedgerow, using traditional methods:

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• Restoration of the hedgerow bank profile

• Planting a wide variety of woody species, in staggered double (or triple) rows

• Use of native wildlife species, to provide habitat, food sources and breeding grounds 

• Hedges to be laid, with pruning at 3 year intervals to maximise food sources and density of habitat

• Creation of new hedges as windbreaks and habitat corridors

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Marshy Grassland

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• Rhos pasture wildflower seed (locally sourced) to be intersown into existing wet meadow area.

• Willow, alder and hazel to be coppiced to prevent encroachment and subsequent drying out of marsh

• Wildlife ponds to be established

• Devil's Bit Scabious (food source for Marsh Fritillary Butterfly) propagated from local seed to be planted in meadow

• Grassland to be managed through biannual scything

 

Ecological restoration through habitat creation and enrichment, key objectives to include:

• Replanting of the defunct sections of Hedgerows

• Planting new hedgerows as windbreaks, and habitat corridors 

• Coppicing of Willow and Adler in the Marshy Grassland

• Sowing of Rhos Pasture wildflower seed

• Planting Devils Bit Scabious plug plants into the Meadow

• Installation of bird and bat boxes

• Creating reptile refuges, and habitat piles

• Wildlife Pond creation and restoration 

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Orchard

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The conservation orchard has been planted according to traditional methods, (with full standard trees at 10 m) Perennial ground covers and herb layers to be incorporated as wildlife habitat and food sources. This will increase biodiversity by attracting the following:

 

• Apple (as well as hawthorn in our hedgerows) is an important host for the semi-parasite mistletoe and associated wildlife (Mistle Thrush, Mistletoe Marble moth)

• Many bryophytes and lichens grow on standard fruit trees. 

• Holes in old trees (apples age fast) will provide nest sites for birds such as Redstart, Nuthatch and Little Owls, Fieldfares and other thrushes feed on fallen fruit and Bullfinches feed on the buds of fruit trees, particularly plums and damsons. 

• Insectivorous birds including several species of Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher, Hawfinch and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker feed and nest in orchards. 

• Bats such as Noctules and Pipistrelles hunt over orchards. 

• Fruit blossom is a source of nectar and pollen for a variety of insects, including useful pollinators. 

Spring bulbs and wildflowers will be planted in bark chip mulch, while grass around the fruit trees will be kept long, being cut by scythe once a year in the autumn to encourage biodiversity. 

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Market Garden - vegetable plot

 

Agro-forestry and agro-ecological methods will be used to create little ecosystems across the field, whilst growing polycultures and providing wildlife habitat amongst crops, including:

• Intercropping of brassicas, which appeal to beneficial insects (Hoverflies, Lacewings and Ladybirds)

• Using wild bird seed mix to welcome beneficial birds onto our land – including types like Skylarks, Wagtails, Pipits and Thrushes, that eat the slugs and bugs.

• Strategically allowing areas of scrub and some 'weeds' to grow – as these can attract more great species, like Yellowhammers, which snack on their seeds.

• Use of nettle and cow parsley patches to attract pollinators and beneficial predators.

• Soil health and microbiome diversity to be measured to inform actions.

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Aside for its inherent value, the maximization of biodiversity provides the following benefits:

• Crop pollination

• Reducing run off

• Soil fertility building

• Erosion prevention

• Flood prevention

• Improving water quality

• Establishing resilient ecosystems with balanced predator, prey populations

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Species monitoring and surveying will be conducted to record the abundance, richness and diversity of populations, to assess the progress and inform the future development of the management plan.  ​

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This project has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh
Government, and supported by Swansea Rural Development Partnership at Swansea Council.