Mynydd y Gwair Wind Farm - RWE.com

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Mynydd y Gwair Wind Farm
9.5.22 Although not subject to any statutory nature conservation protection, brown hare does have a
species action plan under the national and local BAP and it is a Species of Principal
Importance in Wales. However, very few sightings of this species have been made over the
2004-2012 period and therefore use of the study area by this species is evidently very low.
9.5.23 Due to significant national declines in recent years, grayling butterfly was added to the list of
priority species under the UK BAP in 2007, is a Species of Principal Importance in Wales and
is on the Red List of threatened butterflies. As confirmed by background records, this species
could formerly have been expected to be present throughout the upland habitats of the
locality, but although recorded by Bioscan in 2004, there have been no subsequent sightings,
reflecting a national trend towards declining population and range contraction.
9.5.24 Invertebrate faunas of degraded moorland and acid grassland tend to be of low diversity, with
even the commoner species of interest restricted to those pockets with a more diverse habitat
structure. The picture on the proposed wind farm site and on Mynydd Garn Fach appears
consistent with this, with generally only a very restricted number of species observed, and a
general absence of the specialist species that tend to be of higher conservation significance.
Bog bush cricket was however recorded (a singing male) in mire habitats in the southern part
of the Afan Lliw gully during 2011. The only other records for this species in Swansea appear
to relate to the Gower, and therefore confirmation of its presence on Mynydd y Gwair is
probably of county significance.
Likely future in the absence of development
9.5.25 In the absence of the proposed development, there is no reason to suppose that the land
within the application site would not continue under the same land uses (i.e. either as grazed
common or improved agricultural land). While there is an increasing political climate and
mechanisms available for improving grazing regimes and other management for biodiversity,
the uptake of such schemes and their results are difficult to predict in any particular place. A
particular problem on the main wind farm site is the diversity of interested parties that would
need to be brought together into a consensus to enable any agri-environment scheme to
work. The likelihood of significant habitat management changes occurring is therefore
assessed as low.
9.5.26 In terms of the habitats and vegetation, the most likely result of this would be a degree of
continued but slight recovery in the degraded upland habitats on the site in response to an
apparent (but not confirmed) reduction in grazing pressure. The proposed development,
except in the small areas used for turbine foundations and ancillary works, would not preclude
any such recovery or indeed the imposition of any particular management regime on the
upland commons. Accordingly the future of the habitats and flora on the site without
development (i.e. under the status quo) is taken to be effectively the same (except for hard
developed areas) as if the proposed development took place.
9.5.27 Such recovery of vegetation and a consequent improvement in the diversity and conservation
value of the upland habitats could translate to increased use of the upland areas by key
species of conservation value. Depending on the degree of recovery, increased use by
species such as common lizard and brown hare might be a long term proposition.