A new nature reserve is ready to welcome the first roots of a unique woodland.
Development is underway to create a nature reserve at Green Gates, St Asaph, which will eventually grow into a 70-acre site supporting local biodiversity.
And trees grown from locally sourced seeds in the county will take root in their new home.
The nature reserve development is part of the Council’s response to protect and restore local nature habitats to contribute to the nature recovery goal. Increased hedgerow and tree cover will also contribute to continuing efforts to reach the net carbon zero goal by increasing carbon absorption.
Work in the area will see the restoration of existing ponds, the creation of new ponds, the creation of a wetland area adjacent to two small watercourses and creation of woodland, scrub and grassland habitat areas.
A new brownfield site, which is a Priority Habitat, will be developed and will help to support a variety of rare and important wildlife – such as insects and wildflowers. The site has also been identified by Natural Resources Wales as a potential Site of Special Scientific Interest for great crested newts.
A permissive pathway will be created to allow walkers to come through the site and a raised viewing area will also be developed.
The Council has already established a local provenance tree nursery on the Green Gates site which aims to produce over 5,000 trees and 5,000 wildflowers a year to help boost local habitats.
A variety of trees grown in the nursery, including Oak, Alder, Willow, Silver Birch, along with some of the rarer Wild Service and Spindle and others will be the first to be planted back out on local ground during December. Volunteers supported by the North Wales Wildlife Trust and nursey volunteers will join with the Biodiversity team to provide the trees with their new home on the doorstep of where they grew.
Eventually over 4000 trees which equals around 2.4 hectares will be planted in this woodland area on the site. Further tree planting is also set to take place on other site areas.
Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport said, “Its fantastic know that the trees grown in our tree nursery at St Asaph will go back out to this land on the doorstep to shape what will be a brilliant asset for Denbighshire in supporting our local wildlife, plants and trees, as well for community wellbeing, education and leisure.”
“Our volunteers and Biodiversity Team has worked hard to source and grow these trees at the nursery and it will be great to see the first fruits of their labour going back out into Denbighshire ground to help with reducing carbon across the county and better supporting our nature.”
