WALKING WALES www.welshcountry.co.uk 17
Colliery Spoil Tips: Biodiversity Hotspots For more than a century, the environment of the south Wales valleys and the fortunes of the people who lived here were shaped by coal mining. The scars of heavy industry were everywhere and black tips of coal waste brooded ominously over the valleys. At its peak, the industry employed some 232,000 men in 620 coal mines across South Wales. In 1913, 57 million tons of coal came up from these mines – a fifth of the entire output of the United Kingdom. Nearly all the signs of this once thriving industry have been lost with colliery buildings demolished and shafts capped. One thing has remained however, the numerous colliery spoil tips littering the landscape. Centuries of intense mining activity ultimately generated excessive quantities of waste, which was subsequently tipped upon the valley sides. Such spoil tips have become an iconic feature in the landscape of the south Wales valleys. Following the Aberfan disaster in 1966, many spoil tips were cleared amid fears of similar tragedies lying in wait. Those deemed stable remained, left undisturbed to naturally revegetate over time. Today, these tips form diverse and intricate habitats. Heathland, flowerrich grasslands, species-rich lichen and moss communities, scrub, wet woodland, calcareous seepages, wet flushes and seasonal pools have clothed the once bare ground. The intricate topography of mounds and hummocks has created a great diversity of micro-habitats, and these are responsible for much of the unique biodiversity of these sites. Species and associated habitats The thin, nutrient poor soils create stressed conditions that prevent dominant plant species (i.e. grasses) from taking-over, subsequently slowing vegetation succession. Wildflower-rich grasslands develop as a result, providing abundant forage for a range of pollinating insects. At least 85 different bee species have been recorded on coal tips in recent years; this equates to almost half of the <strong>Welsh</strong> bee fauna or a third of the UK fauna. The scarce Brown-banded carder bee is just one of the species found in these habitats. Slow vegetation succession also results in substantial bare ground cover. This is of particular importance, creating warm microclimates in which thermophilic (warmth-loving) invertebrates can bask. This bare ground also provides invertebrates with burrowing and ground nesting opportunities, and provides foraging areas for visual predators such as the Green Tiger Beetle. The Grayling butterfly is particularly well suited to coal tips, its cryptic colouring providing excellent camouflage against the black spoil. The complex chemistry and topography has encouraged unique floristic assemblages. This includes luxuriant stands of heather and bilberry, thickets of spring flowering gorse, and on the thinnest soils, an abundance of grasses and herbs. Characteristic coal spoil species include carline thistle, pearly-everlasting, centaury, cudweeds, sandworts, fairy flax, and a wide diversity of lichens and mosses. Lichen-heath encrusted with Cladonia is a particularly important habitat. The diverse micro-habitats produce a wealth of rare and unusual Fungi. Breath-taking examples of the rare Cobalt Crust (Terana caerulea) can be found throughout the woodlands and scrub. Internationally threatened Waxcaps, Corals and Earth-tongues are scattered throughout the grasslands, heaths and wooded areas. Green Tiger Beetle Above Image: Brown-banded carder bee Six Belted Clearwing 18 Legume-rich grasslands of Coedely Colliery, Tonyrefail Mar-Apr 17
- Page 1 and 2:
Mar-Apr 2017 • Issue 75 • £2.9
- Page 3 and 4:
ADDYSG BELLACH A ADDYSG UWCH CYRSIA
- Page 5 and 6:
NTS 35 HOT FROM THE KITCHEN - Chef
- Page 7 and 8:
WELSH CONNECTIONS white dove settle
- Page 9 and 10:
FISHING Changes made to Rod Licensi
- Page 11 and 12:
STORIES IN STONE I Never Did Do It
- Page 13 and 14:
STORIES IN STONE Butler gave varyin
- Page 15 and 16:
Walker’s Fact File Distance: 11 m
- Page 17 and 18:
WALKING WALES www.welshcountry.co.u
- Page 19 and 20:
BIODIVERSITY BIODIVERSITY Grayling
- Page 21 and 22:
THE RAVEN I scan across the beach,
- Page 23 and 24:
Compiled by Kath Rhodes The Bug Far
- Page 25 and 26:
Bim’s Kitchen, Flintshire Bim’s
- Page 27 and 28:
Preseli Gold Sausage Company, Pembs
- Page 29 and 30:
Welsh Brew Tea, Swansea Special ble
- Page 31 and 32: WELSH KITCHEN Sweet Gem and Cod bra
- Page 33 and 34: Welsh Country Your Countryside Maga
- Page 35 and 36: Hot From The Kitchen Mary Ann Gilch
- Page 37 and 38: Music GRUMPY OLD GEEZER A Bit of Bl
- Page 39 and 40: PICTORIAL WALES My name is Thomas W
- Page 41 and 42: PICTORIAL WALES The Waxwing The wax
- Page 43 and 44: POETRY Poetry Vole, Mole, Stoat and
- Page 45 and 46: Advertising Feature Arts & Crafts T
- Page 47 and 48: Here is our latest selection of boo
- Page 49 and 50: PARSON & PUBLICAN THE PUBLICAN Snow
- Page 51 and 52: L’Occitane 7. Beautifying Body Lo
- Page 53 and 54: More Gift Ideas 1. Vintage Blooms H
- Page 55 and 56: PUZZLES SUDOKU 1 2 Find the answers
- Page 57 and 58: Elm Grove Country House G St Floren
- Page 59 and 60: Twr y Felin HBR St Davids Pembrokes
- Page 61 and 62: GARDENING The Early Spring Garden
- Page 63 and 64: GARDENING will be in full bloom. Th
- Page 65 and 66: To Showcase Your Business Here Cont
- Page 67 and 68: NOTHING TO WEAR? Nosilife Camille C
- Page 69 and 70: Front Cover Image: Thomas Winstone
- Page 71 and 72: Saintly Inspiration From churches t
- Page 73 and 74: WELSH CONNECTIONS A Stamp of Approv
- Page 75 and 76: Welsh Country Your Countryside Maga
- Page 77 and 78: 12 Mar-Apr 17
- Page 79 and 80: The Tarren Hills 14 May-Jun Mar-Apr
- Page 81: ©Crown copyright 2017 Ordnance Sur
- Page 85 and 86: AGame of Chess Easter holidays. Unl
- Page 87 and 88: newsround Wales' Reports Roundup Ro
- Page 89 and 90: Best of Welsh & Borders BUY LOCAL -
- Page 91 and 92: Mama Singh’s Ltd, Aberystwyth Sim
- Page 93 and 94: Advertising Feature Tan Y Castell,
- Page 95 and 96: x4 Pasta Vongole x6 Strawberry and
- Page 97 and 98: Advertising Feature Where To Eat Sl
- Page 99 and 100: From The Larder MARKET DATES NOT TO
- Page 101 and 102: Accountants - An Insight Monmouthsh
- Page 103 and 104: Thomas Winstone Photography Red Fox
- Page 105 and 106: Red Kite Red Squirrel 40 Mar-Apr 17
- Page 107 and 108: To see more of my work and the stun
- Page 109 and 110: Advertising Feature Arts & Crafts M
- Page 111 and 112: Advertising Feature Arts & Crafts S
- Page 113 and 114: The P arson & The P ublican THE PAR
- Page 115 and 116: Mother's Day 26 th March 1 2 4 5 3
- Page 117 and 118: 1. Beauty Lift Milk from DHC (Boxed
- Page 119 and 120: Coffee Break Try our puzzles to tes
- Page 121 and 122: Stay Awhile Wales eat, sleep, drink
- Page 123 and 124: Parc-Le-Breos House BG Parkmill, Go
- Page 125 and 126: Glascoed S# Ciliau Aeron, Ceredigio
- Page 127 and 128: Most importantly, be inspired by vi
- Page 129 and 130: WELSH COUNTRY MARKETPLACE Travel &
- Page 131 and 132: HOROSCOPES YOUR FORECAST FOR MARCH