Have your say on local green spaces Swansea

Have your say on local green spaces

Swansea Council have asked Urban Foundry to speak to people about their thoughts on proposals to provide more protection to areas for nature and people, by officially certifying them as Local Nature Reserves (LNRs).

Have your say on local green spaces

To qualify as an LNR, a site must:
– Have natural features of special local interest.
– Be legally controlled by the local authority, either through ownership or a management agreement with the landowner.

Swansea Council would love to hear your thoughts.

Please see details of the 16 proposed Local Nature Reserve sites and maps below.

It’s important to gather a clear picture of views on each site.

Please make sure your answers are specific to the site you choose in question 1.

If you want to comment on more than one site please complete the survey again for each site.

Brynlliw

This common is important for the diverse range of grasslands and the mix of woodland and scrub found on the site. The site was previously a coal spoil tip and the open mosaic of habitats that have developed on it are particularly important for invertebrates. Devil’s-bit scabious is also found on parts of the site which is the food plant of the rare marsh fritillary butterfly. An active travel route runs along the eastern boundary of the site, connecting Gorseinon with Grovesend and Pontarddulais.

Clyne Valley Country Park

This site encompasses Swansea’s only country park. National Cycle Network Route 4 and various footpaths run through the site connecting Swansea Bay with the communities of Sketty, Killay, Dunvant, Waunarllwydd and Gowerton. It is a varied landscape of open and wooded hillsides, steep gorges and quarries as well as meadowland and wet valley floor. Part of the site is already designated as Killay Marsh Local Nature Reserve, designated for its rare fen habitat. A variety of birds including dippers, owls and kingfishers are regularly sighted in the area, and bats are known to roost in many of the structures left over from Clyne and Dunavant’s coal mining history.

Coed Bach Park

This park in Pontarddulais hosts tennis courts, a fitness trail, skate park, playground and much more. It is special for its ancient semi-natural woodland, wet woodland, as well as species-rich grasslands and dry heath. These habitats of principal importance provide a home for many different plants, including bluebells, butterflies, and birds such as Linnet and Song Thrush.

Garth Farm

Garth farm is special for its 3 hectares of peatland as well as its unique woodlands that are a legacy of an old tree nursery. Peatland is an important carbon sink, helping fight climate change as well as providing a home for specialised plants, sphagnum mosses, and invertebrates such as dragonflies and damselflies. Part of the site is also designated as a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest. Footpaths and boardwalks run through the site and National Cycle Network Route 43 runs along the western boundary, connecting Swansea Vale and Clydach.

Hillside Wildlife corridor

This site is made up of a series of woodland and grassland slopes that connect the communities of Townhill, Mayhill, Cwmbwrla and Cockett. An active travel route runs through part of the site as well as various footpaths. The sites are often on steep slopes, with sweeping views over Swansea Bay, and they also act as an important connectivity corridor for various animals, such as red foxes. Oak trees, bluebells, bats and tawny owls are found within the site as well as a small area of heathland near Sea View Primary.

Llewlyn Park and Heath

This site encompasses Parc Llewelyn, with its open parkland, adventure trail, sports courts, playground and community centre. The wider site is important for its marshy grassland and heathland habitats which are rare in Swansea. The site has populations of devil’s-bit scabious which are the food plant of the rare marsh fritillary butterfly. Old hedge banks also provide habitat for various reptile and mammal species as well as commuting features for bats. Veteran trees are also found in the woodland on site.

Loughor Foreshore Park

Just north of Loughor, this site has a playground and extensive views up and down the Loughor Estuary. It is a special area for bird life, especially wading birds. Black-tailed Godwits, Oystercatchers, Curlew, Knot, and Dunlin can regularly be seen from the foreshore. The site also contains an area of saltmarsh which is a habitat of principal importance and borders the Carmarthen Bay and Estuaries Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

Lower Swansea Valley – Pluck Lake to Llansamlet

This site is important for its range of unique habitats that have developed on post-industrial land. Part of the site is already designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest for rare metal loving lichen and plant species. Pluck lake is a large lake on the site that is used for fishing. Footpaths and active travel routes connect Morfa, Bon-y-Maen, Winch Wen & Llansamlet with National Cycle Network Route 43 running along the southwestern boundary of the site. The area supports a mix of conifer and some broadleaf woodland, plus marshy grassland to the north. A range of rare plant species like spring sandwort, as well as otter, newts and dragonflies make their home here.

Melin Mynach

Melin Mynach is special because it is home to a range of coal spoil species and habitats. At least 181 species have been recorded in the grasslands on the spoil habitat including some rare species such as the brown-banded carder Bee, the prowling spider, and the picture-winged fly. Woodland and scrub have developed across some areas of the site, adding to its diversity and interest, but scrub management is required in order to look after the important coal spoil species. An active travel route runs along the eastern boundary of the site, connecting Gorseinon with Grovesend and Pontarddulais. It also includes a playground and pump track.

Penlan Racecourse

This steep site is central to the communities of Penlan, Gendros, Manselton, Brynhyfryd and Tre-boeth, with views over to Lower Swansea Valley and Swansea Bay. In the late 1800s it formed part of a racecourse that was once considered one of the finest in Britain. Today, it is important for wildlife due to the marshy grassland and acid grasslands present. Some of the acid grasslands have lots of anthills which is an indicator that they could be beneficial for biodiversity and that the grassland has been undisturbed for a long time. There are also pockets of scrub and woodland present on site which provides homes for a variety of different species. Small blue butterfly and Orchids have been recorded here.

Porth Eynon

This coastal site is a special place for nature, made up of a mix of habitats like sand dunes, grassy areas on chalky soil, and dramatic sea cliffs. These habitats are nationally important and support a wide variety of plants and animals, some of which are rare including sea stock, brown banded carder bee and black-oil beetle. The edges of the site are also part of two Sites of Special Scientific Interest designations that include geological features as well as rare cliff plants, coastal limestone grassland habitat important invertebrates. The Wales Coast Path runs across this site.

Singleton Park & Brynmill Park

This site covers the formal parks which border Sketty and Brynmill and includes the botanical gardens in Singleton Park as well as the lake and play areas in Brynmill Park. This site is important for nature due to its pasture parkland, which is a special type of habitat known as a priority habitat. Many mature trees can be found in the parks which are also habitats themselves, host to a variety of fungi, plants, bats and birds. Singleton Park also has meadows which are managed by the council using cut and collect to improve their wildflower diversity for pollinators. The lake in Brynmill park is also an important feature and otter have been sighted here and in Singleton Park.

Swansea Bay

This site stretches along the entire Swansea Bay coastline, from the sand dunes near Swansea Marina all the way to Mumbles Pier. Part of Swansea Bay is already designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest for overwintering migratory birds. It’s a sheltered bay with wide areas of mud and sand that are vital feeding grounds for migratory birds, marine fish, and other shoreline wildlife. On land, there is a mix of natural features like sand dune remnants, grassy areas, trees, and streams. The variety and extent of habitats here makes it a great place for wildlife, offering homes and feeding areas for bats, birds, reptiles, small mammals, fish, and many types of insects. The Wales Coast Path runs along the entire length of the Bay and is also part of National Cycle Network Route 4.

The Cliffs - Caswell Bay, Langland Bay to Mumbles Head and Mumbles Island

The site is special for its coastal habitats. The site includes the following bays, which can all be accessed via the Wales Coast Path: Bracelet, Limeslade, Rotherslade, Langland and Caswell. The vegetated cliffs, though dominated by scrub have pockets of calcareous grassland and remnant heath. The beaches also support boulder communities, reefs and blue mussel beds. The Dartford warbler has been known to nest in the area and the site provides important habitat for reptiles and many invertebrates. Parts of this site are also designated as Site of Special Scientific Interests for geological and rare plants such as Juniper.

West Cross Woodlands & Washinghouse Brook

This collection of sites is important for its ancient semi-natural woodland where bluebells and wood anemone can be found early in the year. The woods form a connectivity corridor to the larger Clyne woodlands and provide a home to many species of bird including woodpeckers and jays. Footpaths run along the brook towards Swansea Bay, taking users past West Cross Community Hub. There’s children’s playground at West Cross Woodlands too.

Ynysforgan Woods

Featuring a nature sculpture trail, this park is special for its ancient-semi natural woodland. Parts of these woods have been in existence for over 400 years. They form part of an important woodland connectivity corridor north of the M4. The area was once part of the grounds of Glyncollen House, a grand house that stood until the 1970s, reflecting the site’s connection to Swansea’s social and industrial history. An orchard was planted to provide fruit for Glyncollen House which is still present today. The old orchard contains apple, pear and mulberry. As the trees are very old, they have holes and dead wood which are home to lots of wildlife. The blossom attracts pollinators such as bees and butterflies in the spring and lots of wildlife enjoy the apples in the autumn.

It’s important to gather a clear picture of views on each site.

Please make sure your answers are specific to the site you choose in question 1.

If you want to comment on more than one site please complete the survey again for each site.

Get involved

The project is funded through the Welsh Government Water Capital Programme, which supports a number of environmental priorities outlined in the River Basin Management Plan, including river restoration, metal mine remediation, fisheries and water quality.