Project: RWT Pentwyn

In the Waterfall in the Lugg plot I've also planted...

I've planted some oak and elder saplings around the...

I've been doing some experimental tree planting across the site, using some rewilders' tiles in...

Some of the birds you might be...

The beginning
The wild mosaic is in Pentwyn, part of Radnorshire Wildlife Trust. It used to be sheep pasture and was bought by the Trust to restore it to wildness. We contribute to this by funding restoration on the 3 acres that is part of Wild Mosaic, and wider work across the 125 acre site.

I first visited on October 2022 and still remember being in awe of its potential. Whilst it was predominantly dense grassland, there were still old hedgerows criss-crossing the land, and occasional copses of trees. The river Lugg wound through part of the site, eventually joining the river Wye a fair few miles and counties downstream. And the hilly terrain created natural variation across the land.

As I was about to leave I saw a barn owl peering out of a hole in an old oak. It watched as I fumbled to get my camera out. And casually flew off before I could get it ready.

Needless to say I was smitten and keen to make this our first site.

When I was walking round Pentwyn with the CEO of the wildlife trust we agreed on four plots that would have a mix of different characteristics and potentially change in different ways.

These ended up being:

Hilltop Corner – high up, on the south side in the corner edge of the site, next to a scattering of trees along the border.

Marsh to Lugg – low down on the south side near a small stream that doesn’t even appear on some maps (not the Lugg as I mistakenly thought initially!)

Meadow pipit ffridd – high up on the north side this was a tongue of land with steep drops on three sides. The slopes had a mix of bracken, shrubs and occasional trees, this fringe land is often called ‘ffridd’ in Wales. As we walked around meadow pipits flew up in all directions.

Waterfall on the Lugg – low down on the north side, by the river Lugg (accurately identified this time!) and next to a small waterfall. This has mature trees running through parts of the area. These are wonderful and shelter more biodiversity than the overgrazed pasture areas. But they have created unanticipated problems in getting accurate GPS signal!

2023
This first year was about fencing, livestock and long grass.

At the start of this project, sheep from neighbouring fields would regularly come into the site. They approved of the growing wildness. And wanted to eat it. So, a lot of fencing needed to be repaired, to keep them out, and allow the introduction of other livestock. Belted Galloway, pigs and ponies.

I wrote a post explaining why on the one hand it was important to keep sheep out; and on the other bring livestock in. And also about the benefits of longer grass.

The Belted Galloways were first. And their beautiful thick black and white stripes were stunning against the landscape. Initially they would run at the sight of anyone. Then they became braver. Now, they tend to stand their ground and I have to work around them whilst they look on dismissively. They particularly like the Hillside Corner and Marsh to the Lugg areas.

I recorded a video talking a little about the Belted Galloways and some extra fencing, recorded in Hilltop Corner.

Then the ponies came, posing dramatically across scenery with windswept manes.

I also discovered mysterious boulders, and a spectacular fallen tree, which I keep returning to.

At this stage the most prominent wildflower were thistles, and the most common invertebrates Meadow Brown butterflies. The two species were often together

2024
The last of the livestock arrived in the winter of 2023 / 24. Pigs. My favourite rewilders. Here’s a couple of videos of me getting very excited about them in Marsh to Lugg and near Waterfall to Lugg.

Their dramatic ploughing up of the soil meant we could plant our first wildflower seed and yellow rattle hay. We did a little bit of this by hand in spring and autumn. And more mechanical processes have been tried out on other parts of the site.

The spring saw an explosion of buttercups on the southside, and a few more wildflower species in the early summer. There were less butterflies this year. But I discovered an incredible range of hoverflies. Including marmalade, bog, footballer, which is also called the furry pond fly and bumblebee.

I returned to the fallen oak in the spring and found it was – wonderfully - still alive.

Next
Over the next year we are hoping to see some more interventions, such as some tree planting to complement natural propagation, and wetland creation. We are hoping to also see the first signs of yellow rattle ‘the meadow maker’. This will play a crucial role in thinning out the grass and creating more space for wildflowers.