The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Cymru has purchased a 96-hectare upland area of land in the hope of supporting rare Celtic rainforests and woodland birds such as pied flycatchers.
Announced today (July 7), the charity confirmed it had bought the Gallt-y-bere landscape, which is located on the banks of the River Twyi in North Carmarthenshire.
The area forms a “vital missing link” between two separate parts of the RSPB’s Gwenffrwd-Dinas nature reserve in the Elenydd, the organisation said.
The Pied Flycatcher is a summer migrant bird.
This means conservationists can now reconnect a fragmented landscape for the first time in 60 years, allowing wildlife to move across the different areas and build stronger, more diverse and sustainable ecosystems – rather than remaining isolated pockets.
The landscape is home to internationally important habitats, including rare Atlantic oak woodlands – also known as Celtic rainforests, partly because of their damp, humid and mild climate – ffridd (upland fringe), ancient woodland and peat bogs.
RSPB Cymru said improving connections between these habitats across the reserve will deliver significant benefits for its stronghold of pied flycatchers – a summer migrant bird that thrives in oak woodland – as well as a range of other wildlife, including endangered hen harriers, cuckoos, wood warbler, pine martens and whinchats.
The Wood Warbler is an endangered species and the RSPB hope that they will thrive in the newly purchased landscape.
It added that buying Gallt-y-bere was made possible by a philanthropic loan, as well as “generous support” from thousands of people responding to its fundraising appeal.
The purchase also creates opportunities to work closely with local farming tenants to demonstrate how nature recovery and sustainable farming can successfully work hand in hand across the wider landscape, it added.
Jonathan Cryer, an RSPB site manager said: “Gallt-y-bere is a truly magical place, and I’m thrilled that we’re in a position to expand and improve its rare habitats and wildlife.
“Securing this site is a brilliant opportunity for us to strengthen ancient woodland, restore upland habitats and create the conditions needed for rare wildlife such as hen harrier to flourish in the future”.
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