Gwehelog and Llandenny Wildlife Clusters

 

Saran Allott-Davey has been instrumental in setting up the Gwehelog and Llandenny Cluster:

 

We decided to create a local wildlife cluster, a few of us got together one winter afternoon, following our village hall afternoon talk on the importance of providing more habitat and meadows – a cluster was forming around Gwehelog and Llandenny.

 

A WhatsApp group was set up with both existing MMG members and then neighbours encouraged to join, bringing 12 garden and landowners together in total to create our wildlife cluster. 

 

In early spring we were ready to go and started having informal wanders around each other’s gardens and fields. We started sharing ideas, seeds and exchanging veg plants as a side benefit! We got to socialise with each other, but also learn loads about the plants present with thanks to Volunteer Botanist Tim Oliver; he really helped us keep track of the various plants we had present in the cluster and generally encouraging us to keep identifying what we can.

More highlights of collaborating like this include working together to improve biodiversity, knowing that there are more locals who do really care. We also got together for the Big Butterfly Count, spending quality time with neighbours (and even some younger community members) who we don’t usually see so much of. Building these relationships on shared values also helps us to share kit and expertise – it feels like all elements of the cluster are making us better at managing our meadows!

 

Our chair Sally Jones has used her mapping skills to create a map of where our land sits within the local area and now we can see where we can work on to build more corridors and extend the reach of our approach to help nature thrive. 

 

Our members include a wonderful farming family with 90 acres, along with some owners of small gardens, that are full of life and as our botanist Tim says “act as stepping stones for plants and wildlife”.

Volunteer Botanist Tim Oliver adds:

 

As a botanist I love to pass on my enthusiasm for plants and habitats.

The Gwehelog cluster events were a great way of meeting members, looking at meadow indicator plants and providing a few ID tips on what to look out for.

 

Being welcomed by members to explore their meadows and gardens was a treat.  Each place has something special about them when they are being managed for wildlife, and you never know what you are going to find!

 

In early spring meetings, we found Flowering Sweet Violets, Speedwells, Buttercups, Celandine, Cuckooflower in the meadows and a diversity of woodland ground flora species present. The event also included a visit to a lovely area of wet grassland, fed by a spring with a range of wetland plants including a notable population of Marsh Valerian.

In the late spring cluster event the members meadows were coming into full flower. The owners told the group about how different the fields were originally and the types of management that they are implementing to bring back the wildflower diversity. It was an inspirational to see the outcome of their approach over a number of years and reassuring to know this knowledge is being shared.

 

It is great to find so many indicator species that historically have been absent or infrequent: Pignut, Common Spotted Orchid, Green-winged Orchid, and Ragged Robin with abundant Meadow Buttercup, Oxeye Daisy and Common Knapweed. 

 

The cluster events are great at bringing local members together, and provide a valuable opportunity to learn from like-minded people who are passionate about nature. The host members were universally welcoming and more than happy to show others around.

 

Lovely meadows and grasslands, plus tasty tea and cake, the perfect way to spend a few hours!

 

 

MMG would like to thank all of those who volunteer their time, expertise and of course cake in the spirit of collaboration – this shows what is possible and we’re excited to see how this way of working together continues to grow!

 

We would love more locals to now join us and take the group forward and also to see other wildlife clusters developing in Monmouthshire.

 

Do get in touch if you would like to find out more.