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News & Events 2013.

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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

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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.

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