Home
Find us
Information
Images
Barns
Nutshell
Conservation
Contact us
Links
Forum
Conservation
Projects
Wildlife photos
Document library

 

 

Conservation near Llyn Gwynant Campsite
Nantgwynant, North Wales

Conservation background:


The land around the campsite on Hafod Lwyfog Farm has been under the Tir Gofal Management Scheme since the year 2001. The scheme is designed to protect, enhance and restore farmed land, and create habitats and landscape features. Some of the key projects undertaken on this farm:

Hedgerows
Maintain existing hedges and restore derelict hedgerows to be living field boundaries. This maintains the character of the local landscape by retaining the historic field patters. It also benefits a variety of wildlife including plants, small mammals and birds, as well as insects.

Dry stone wall restoration
The farm has two major walls – the lower and upper mountain wall. These have had major work as part of the Tir Gofal scheme, and are stock proof today. The walls have been rebuilt in the traditional local style, to the original height and width.

Conversion of semi-improved to unimproved grassland
The intention is to restore the typical species of unimproved grassland, on the lower fields, by taking a haycrop and lightly grazing the land afterwards

Streamside corridors
Stock are removed from some stream boundaries so as to encourage development of a diverse wildlife habitat, and the growth of native trees, shrubs and tall vegetation. This provides cover for animals such as water vole and otter. It also increases the water quality.

Establish new broadleaved woodlands
An extensive planting program has been undertaken to establish new broadleaved woodlands. Stock proof fencing and walling has also been necessary to protect the woodland, as has rhododendron and bracken control.

Rhododendron and bracken control
Rhododendrons thrive on an acid soil, and the southern end of Nant Gwynant valley has been badly infested. Removing rhododendron is a very labour intensive task, cutting the trees or bushes, and poisoning the remaining stems. Bracken is also controlled in areas of tree-planting, by being cut.

Permissive access areas
Access to areas of woodland, climbing areas and the lakeside is also part of the conservation scheme. Footpaths have been established, and “kissing gates” erected. Providing access to viewpoints, woodlands and water features is an important part of conservation.

IIf you are interested iin staying in beautiful countryside and helping with any conservation projects, then please contact us. We have added a section of the contact form where you can indicate interest in our conservations schemes. We may offer weekends camping or staying in our barns, for willing conservation workers if we receive expressions of interest.

 

Return to top of page

 


Some of the thousands of young trees planted from our own native nursery


Bracken on the hills above thte lake