Our exciting new partnership project, Welcome Home to Nature, will see us working with Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust to enhance our historic estate for wildlife and people.
Our beautiful 750-acre grounds are already a nationally-important haven for wildlife. The majority of Gregynog lies within a National Nature Reserve (NNR) – one of Wales’ most important areas of ancient parkland and wood pasture. Meanwhile our ancient oak-filled Great Wood is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) teeming with wildlife, much of it rare, including lichens, birds like Pied Flycatchers and Wood Warblers, and several species of bats. Meanwhile we have miles of waymarked paths snaking through the woodland, wildflower meadows and a large Lily Pond ablaze with multi-coloured dragonflies for visitors to enjoy and connect with this wealth of wildlife.
We’ll be improving existing wildlife habitats, boosting biodiversity and enhancing the nature-themed visitor experience – to make this a place where wildlife thrives and where people can connect with, and learn about, nature…
Welcome Home to Nature is funded by the Nature Networks Fund, which is a Welsh Government fund developed in partnership with Natural Resources Wales administered by the National Heritage Lottery Fund (NHLF) on behalf of Welsh Government.
This two-year project will see our two organisations working together to build on these strong foundations, improving existing wildlife habitats, boosting biodiversity and enhancing the nature-themed visitor experience – to make this a place where wildlife thrives and where people can connect with, and learn about, nature.
To make this happen, first Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust will help us map and monitor the estate’s habitats, and species, including bats, breeding birds, fungi and dormice, complimenting the work done on specific areas of the estate by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) – to discover more about the plants and animals that call Gregynog home. This data will form the basis for engaging interpretation to help visitors understand what a special place for wildlife this is, and why our grounds need to be managed with this in mind.
Boosts to biodiversity
Restoration work across the estate will be designed to increase biodiversity, including restoring the Lily Pond and wildflower planting along the drives, plus supporting the ongoing walled garden restoration. Additionally, installing nest boxes specially designed for Pied Flycatcher and other summer migratory birds will help support rare avian populations, and planting of more wildflowers and flowing trees will promote insect-life, the foundation of a healthy ecosystem.
Family-friendly forays
Meanwhile, our visitor offering will be made even better. We’ll also be hosting 13 nature-themed events by Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust – including bat walks, fungi forays, den-building and pond-dipping – that will be perfect for engaging families with nature and inspire young people to protect their natural environment.
People power
Keeping people firmly at the heart of this project, we’ll be setting up a dedicated volunteer group to assist with practical habitat management and species surveys on the estate, as well as supporting our staff and existing volunteers to develop their skills to continue this monitoring and managing into the future – just one of many project legacies. If you’re interested in volunteering with this project, please email: ceri@montwt.co.uk.
