Residents, community groups, environmental organisations and public sector partners have come together to celebrate the launch of Caerphilly County Borough’s Nature Recovery Action Plan.
Organised by the Caerphilly Local Nature Partnership, the event marked an important milestone in efforts to protect and restore nature across the county borough.
Held at Bedwas Workmen’s Hall & Institute, the launch highlighted a shared commitment to tackling biodiversity loss and creating a greener, more resilient future for wildlife and local communities.
The event featured exhibition stalls hosted by a range of organisations, including Caerphilly County Borough Council, Caerphilly Woodlands Trust, Ruperra Conservation Trust, Adder Action and the Southeast Wales Biodiversity Records Centre.
Gwent Wildlife Trust, Keep Wales Tidy’s Urban Long Forest Project, Welsh Wildlife Trust, Ynys Hywel Farm Allotment Group, Caerphilly Hedgehog Rescue, Community Volunteers Wales and Gwent Ornithological Society also took part.
Visitors heard presentations from nature recovery experts and participated in interactive discussions about the ten priority species identified within the plan.
These are the hedgehog, adder, hazel dormouse, green tiger beetle, waxcap fungi, dipper, swift, native bluebell, curlew and marsh fritillary.
The event also provided networking opportunities intended to encourage further collaboration and community action.
Attendees were invited to make personal pledges outlining how they would support nature recovery in their own communities.
These included:
“I am going to stay alert and record nature whilst out hiking or walking.”
“Increase biodiversity when delivering flood mitigation schemes within Caerphilly County Borough Council.”
“Get schools and youth groups involved in surveys of their local areas.”
“Learn more about the NRAP and share that learning within our community.”
The Nature Recovery Action Plan provides a strategic framework for protecting and enhancing biodiversity across Caerphilly County Borough.
Developed through partnership working and community engagement, it identifies priority actions intended to reverse the decline of local habitats and species while delivering wider environmental, social and wellbeing benefits.
The plan is due to be presented to the council’s Cabinet in September for adoption as a corporate strategy.
This would help ensure biodiversity is considered across all Caerphilly County Borough Council departments and embedded within decision-making processes.
Actions within the plan include actively managing existing woodlands, creating new woodland and tree-planting projects, and encouraging wildlife-friendly gardening and the sustainable management of homes and gardens.
It also includes installing and promoting nesting boxes on homes and other buildings, improving public understanding of protected species such as the adder and green tiger beetle, and supporting the monitoring of protected species populations.
The Local Nature Partnership is also administering a Biodiversity Grant Scheme funded through the Welsh Government’s Local Places for Nature programme.
The scheme is supporting projects that directly contribute to delivering actions contained within the plan. Applications are currently being shortlisted, although further funding opportunities could become available in the future.
Cllr Chris Morgan, Cabinet Member for Waste, Leisure and Green Spaces, said:
“The Nature Recovery Action Plan sets out a clear direction for how we can work together to protect and enhance biodiversity across Caerphilly county borough.
“It was fantastic to see so many organisations, community groups and individuals come together at the launch, demonstrating the level of knowledge, enthusiasm and commitment that already exists locally.
“By working collaboratively and taking practical action to support our habitats and priority species, we can help build a more resilient natural environment for both wildlife and our communities for generations to come.”
The launch event provided an opportunity to learn more about the challenges facing local wildlife, hear about successful conservation initiatives and explore practical ways to contribute to nature recovery.
Jayne Garland, Caerphilly Woodlands Trust, said:
“It was lovely to see people stopping, asking questions, sharing their own experiences and discovering that a community woodland can be so much more than trees. It demonstrated that nature is not simply a backdrop to our lives; we are part of it and connected to it.”
“The wonderful thing about a day like this is that it doesn’t end when everyone packs away their stands. The conversations continue. The connections continue. And the work continues.”
The Nature Recovery Action Plan is being finalised for publication and will soon be made available online and in libraries across the county borough.
Details of where the public can access the document will be shared through the Caerphilly Local Nature Partnership’s social media channels and the Caerphilly County Borough Council website.
Anyone interested in receiving updates about local nature recovery projects, funding opportunities, volunteering activities, events and partnership news can join the Caerphilly Local Nature Partnership mailing list.
To join, contact Tanith Stephens, biodiversity officer at Caerphilly County Borough Council, by emailing [email protected] or calling 01443 866473.
