National Nature Reserve status for Newport Wetlands

It’s been ten years in the making. And there was hardly a bird in sight. But today (Wednesday 16 April 2008), the Newport Wetlands Reserve is recognised as a nationally important haven for wildlife.

Created as part of a compensation package for wildlife habitats lost when the Cardiff Bay barrage was built, today’s National Nature Reserve declaration is an important conservation milestone.

Mr John Lloyd Jones, Chairman of the Countryside Council for Wales said: “The area’s transformation has been remarkable. Now, the wetlands not only boast some of the best examples of wildlife in Wales, they also offer fantastic facilities for school groups, local people and visitors from further afield.”

At the declaration event, hosted by CCW, guests will include Councillor Allan Morris, Mayor of Newport, and Dr Sanjida O'Connell, presenter of BBC’s Nature’s Calendar. They will join pupils from the Church in Wales School, Malpas as they try out the reserve’s environmental education activities.

They will also do a spot of bird watching. They are likely to see the reserve’s spring arrivals - swallows, sand martins, blackcaps, chiffchaffs, willow warblers and wheatears.

During its short life, the Reserve has developed and matured. Over 65 hectares of reed beds were planted on what were the nearby power station’s pulverised fuel ash disposal areas. The reed beds now attract nationally important numbers of breeding water rail and cetti’s warbler and are the only known breeding site for bearded tits in Wales. At the other end of the reserve, you will find the famous saline lagoons, which have become a home to Wales’ first pairs of breeding avocets.

Between these two habitats you will find the wet grasslands of the Gwent Levels, where the ancient ridge and furrow field system has become an important feature of the Reserve. Here, a number of new furrows were excavated to help manage water levels on the Reserve to support the breeding lapwings.

The reserve is also home to otters, water shrews, brown hares and polecats as well as a wide range of insects and plants.

The Mayor of Newport, Cllr Allan Morris, said: “Witnessing the Newport Wetland Reserve being declared a National Nature Reserve is a great source of pride, for me personally, and for our City. To consider a part of the reserve was once an industrial wasteland provides us with hope that the environmental damage being caused to our planet by mankind can be reversed if we have the will to do it.

“The designation will spread the news of this fantastic jewel in the City of Newport crown far and wide drawing visitors from even further afield. The educational opportunities that visitors to the reserve can experience are endless. This is great news for Newport’s future generations and for wildlife.”

Dr Sue Howard, Cardiff and Newport Team Leader for the Countryside Council for Wales, has been involved with the project since the start. She said: “It is very rewarding to witness the formal recognition of the years of hard work put in by CCW staff, voluntary wardens and partners at the RSPB and Newport City Council. It’s a proud day for everyone who has been involved.”

A new Environmental Education and Visitor Centre, owned by RSPB, opened at the reserve in March. The centre includes space for group and family activities, conference facilities, a retail area and coffee shop.

ENDS

• For more photographs or to organise interviews on the day, or in advance, please contact Delyth Willis, CCW’s Regional PR Officer, on 029 2077 2455 or d.willis@ccw.gov.uk .

Programme for the NNR declaration event

10.30 – 11.00am - Welcome and tea and coffee
11.15 – A short, guided tour of part of the reserve, stopping to see some of the reserve’s new environmental education activities
12.00 – Declaration of the reserve as a National Nature Reserve by CCW Chairman, Mr John Lloyd Jones
12.15 – Buffet lunch
13.15 – An optional guided tour of the wider reserve

• Directions – The Newport Wetlands Reserve lies on the eastern edge of the City of Newport along the northern shore of the Severn Estuary. It is two miles from Newport Retail Park and can be found by following the brown duck signs from the western entrance to Llanwern Steelworks.
• A nature reserve is defined as - land managed for conservation or for both conservation and recreation, as long as the recreation doesn’t affect the conservation management. National Nature Reserves are nature reserves of national importance. Newport Wetlands is nationally important because of the number of birds found on the Reserve.
• The Cardiff Bay Development Corporation funded the purchase and construction of the reserve, as part of compensation measures for the loss of the Taf/Ely Estuary Site of Special Scientific Interest, following the construction of the Cardiff Bay Barrage. Newport Wetlands was transferred to CCW in March 2000.
• The Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) manages the reserve and works in partnership with Newport City Council (NCC) and the RSPB to maximise the full visitor interpretation and educational potential of the site.
• A European Objective 2 grant, supported by the Welsh Assembly Government, funded the reserve’s new environmental education and visitor centre. Funding also came from Newport European Partnership, Newport City Council’s allocation of the Welsh Assembly Government’s Local Regeneration Fund, Newport City Council’s Landfill Tax Credit Scheme and Visit Wales. The overall vision is to create a thriving wetland area for people and wildlife.
• The RSPB Environmental Education and Visitor Centre at Newport Wetlands opened in March and includes space for group and family activities, conference facilities, a retail area and coffee shop. To find out more about visiting, please telephone the centre on (01633) 636363 or visit www.rspb.org.uk/reserves
• The Countryside Council for Wales is an Assembly Government Sponsored Body, working for a better Wales where everyone values and cares for our natural environment. More information about our work is available on www.ccw.gov.uk