Issue 11

Greater horseshoe bats in Pembrokeshire

With a wingspan of around 400mm and exceptional aerial grace, the greater horseshoe bat has long transfixed researchers, as much by its personality as its rarity. Its foothold in buildings and caves along the limestone coastline of south Pembrokeshire has become a stronghold. BOB HAYCOCK reports on a conservation success story, which has seen the number of young bats leaving two favoured maternity roosts increase fivefold in the last fifteen years.

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Restoring the fens at Cors Geirch

The great East Anglian fens were drained at the hands of Dutch drainage engineers more than three centuries ago, and there is now much talk of trying to put them back. Wales has its own exceptional fens, like Cors Geirch on the Llŷn peninsula; never full drained, its fenland carpet has been recovering, with the help of a bold piece of reverse engineering, and subsequent careful monitoring, as DYFED JONES and LES COLLEY report.

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Fenn's, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses

Is it possible to help save a rare habitat, wonderful wildlife and the world's climate all in one go? In the past, peat boglands were drained the provide more agricultural land and the peat was cut and used as fuel. Nowadays the demand for peat-based horticultural products is outstripping the supply and without proper protection these areas could be lost forever. JOAN DANIELS reports on the successful restoration of one of Wales' largest raised bogs and urges us not to use garden products that contain peat.

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The black poplar in Wales – Britain's rarest native timber tree

Often as isolated trees, their thick, knobbly trunks and crowns dark against the sky, the native black poplar is both a denizen of soft, man-modified river plain landscapes, and a symbol of the mysteries of nature. Once used for basketry, the history of the native black poplar is closely tied up with the activities of our own species. As DAVE THORPE explains, the future of the black poplar is in our hands.

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All together… 1… 2… 3… the value and enjoyment of recording moths

These days, the climate can behave in a very strange way. Indeed, migratory butterflies such as the painted lady, as well as many moths, can be seen at unexpected times of the year. As DUNCAN BROWN explains, moth recorders can play an important part in discovering what exactly happens and they can be proud of the fact that they are contributing to the larger picture regarding the new behaviour of these migratory creatures.

This article is written in Welsh. A translation is available on request.

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Nature's gunpowder plot

There are inherent risks in taking on the ownership and management of a former factory, especially when it used to make explosives. Perhaps even more daunting for a Wildlife Trust in one of the UK's greenest counties was learning the value of rubble, and techniques to fast track the site's rehabilitation as a nature reserve rich in biodiversity. There have been plenty of lessons to learn along the way, as FRANCES CATTANACH reports.

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Dragons and damsels – princes of the air

At their zenith when the coal measures were being laid down, there is something prehistoric and timeless about dragonflies and damselflies. Be they chasers or darters, demoiselles or hawkers, these insects are worth looking out for, and records matter: Wales is a country rich in these water-loving insects, as STEVE MOON explains.

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The Lore of Plants: mistletoe

It’s strange to see the green leaves of the mistletoe sprouting on bare branches during the winter. No wonder that so many mysterious powers have been associated with this plant, as IWAN EDGAR explains.

This article is written in Welsh. A translation is available on request.

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National Park threat – Bluestone development

A massive tourist development in the Pembrokeshire National Park has been given the go-ahead. Reluctantly the Council for National Parks has decided to challenge the decision in court, as SYLVIA DAVIES reports.

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