A Local Nature Reserve and Community Green Flag Award Winner
The Fourteen Green Spaces
The Fourteen Green Spaces
The Fourteen Green Spaces
The Ebbw Rivers
The Ebbw Rivers
The Fourteen Green Spaces
The Fourteen Green Spaces
Trevor Rowson Park
Trevor Rowson Park
Trevor Rowson Park
The Fourteen Green Spaces
The Fourteen Green Spaces
The Ebbw Fach Trail
"A walk from our industrial past -
To our environmentally friendly future."
News & Events 2013.
30th OCTOBER 2013- LOCAL NATURE RESERVE LAUNCH EVENT
At Ystruth Ladies Hall, Surgery Road Blaina, from 10.00am to 4.00pm
Come and help celebrate the launch of four new local nature reserves across the Borough with a range of nature related activities to include indoor activities in the Ladies Hall and activities across the adjacent Cwmcelyn Local Nature Reserve.
In 2009, Beaufort Hill Woodlands, Parc Nant-y-waun & Cwmtillery Lakes achieved Local Nature Reserve Status, this year Trevor Rowson Park, Roseheyworth Woodlands, Cwmcelyn Ponds and Parc Areal Griffin (Six Bells) were also awarded L.N.R. status.
Below, is the Timetable of Activities, and at the bottom of the page, a selection of just some of the events.
Timetable of Activities
Pond Dipping Session (10.15am -10:45am) (11:15-11:45), (12:00-12:30)
Join Biodiversity Officer Nadine Morgan and investigate the underwater world of the pond –see if you can identify any invertebrate and amphibians. Meeting at the pond dipping platform at the far end of the pond.
10.45am – 11am Salmon Release and Official Launch of Local Nature Reserves
Join Councillor Lisa Winnet in officially launching the new Nature Reserves by releasing salmon hatchlings into the stream. Meet at the bridge crossing the small woodland stream.
11am – 12am Tree Walk
Join the Local Authority Tree Officer Vaughan Lewis on a walk around Cwmcelyn Pond and the local woodlands to learn about our native trees and woodlands. Walk will leave from the woodland bridge after the salmon release and official launch.
13:00pm -16:00pm Pond Dipping (every half hour)
Join local ecologist Kate Hunt and investigate the underwater world of the pond – see if you can identify any invertebrate and amphibians. Sessions will run every half hour, meeting at the pond dipping platform.
15:00pm -16:00pm Litter Pick
Join Thom Board from Keep Wales Tidy on a litter pick of the site.
Activities in the Ladies Hall
Face painting – get your face painted with one of our native wildlife!
Dissect an Owl Pellet – discover what Owls eat and attempt to construct a mammal skeletons from bones with volunteer Sally Morgan
Make a pipecleaner bumble bee and learn about pollination with Council Ecologist Katie Partington
Make a mud monster with Gwent Wildlife Trust
Take a look at Islwyn Bat Groups range of bird and bat boxes with Ken Watkins
Learn about bats and make and take home a bat flapper with Six Bells Communities First Officer Sharon Howells
Check out our local biodiversity recording centre SEWBREC and try out their online biodiversity recording website with David Slade
Make a conker cup and ball with Tourism Officer Alyson Tippings
Check out our selection of bug boxes available to purchase
Visit Mick Bailey from the British Trust for Ornithology and learn about the Garden Bird Watch Scheme, collect a bird spotting activity and follow the trail around the site.
Activities on Cwmcelyn Local Nature Reserve
Nature Trail – pick up a nature trail booklet from the Ladies Hall and follow the trail around the site collecting rubbings from the rubbing posts.
Owl Sanctuary – see and learn about live owls close up with Festival Park Owl Sanctuary.
Pole Lathe – have a go at using a pole lathe with Thom Board from Keep Wales Tidy
River Fly Partnership – visit Dai and see his collection of riverfly invertebrates.
AUGUST 2013 KEEP WALES TIDY 2013-14 GREEN FLAG COMMUNITY AWARDS.
This year, Keep Wales Tidy has awarded the prestigious Green Flag Community Award to a record 61 parks and 56 community managed green spaces in Wales.
The award recognises and rewards the best parks and green spaces in the country as well as driving up the quality of green space.
The following sites won the award in Blaenau Gwent, including four Ebbw Fach Green Spaces.
Beaufort Hill Woodlands
Bute Town Pond, Rhymney
Cwmtillery Lakes
Gelli Grug Community Garden
Parc Nant y Waun
The Garden Festival Parklands
Trevor Rowson Park
FEBRUARY 2013 - APPLICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT IN LITTLE LANE, BEAUFORT HILL.
An application has been submitted to build a dwelling in the field to the left of Little Lane - shown in the foreground of the photograph. It would be built on undermined land and on the feeder stream to the ponds.
A planning meeting that will include the application for Little Lane will be held on Thursday 7th March 2013 in the Civic Centre's Council Chamber at 2.00 pm.
Those against the application will be allowed someone to speak from the public gallery to outline their reasons for opposing it.
There is a strong feeling against this application in a site that has been designated Local Nature Reserve status, and has become a huge attraction for many people.
PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT US IN THE FIGHT AGAINST THIS DEVELOPMENT.
PLEASE NOTE - THE APPLICATION WAS WITHDRAWN, THE DAY BEFORE THE MEETING, BUT ON 1st MAY 2013, A NEW APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED. A THIRD APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED IN JULY AND THIS WAS REJECTED, BUT THE APPLICATION WAS THEN SUBMITTED TO AN APPEAL IN AUGUST.
THEN ON 11th DECEMBER 2013 - WE WERE INFORMED BY PLANNING, THAT THE APPEAL WAS DISMISSED,AND THAT THEY WOULDN'T ACCEPT ANY FURTHER APPLICATIONS FOR TWO YEARS - GOOD NEWS FOR ALL MEMBERS AND VISITORS.
