Our work

Situated near Cross Hands in Carmathenshire, West Wales, Carmel became a National Nature Reserve in 1999. It sits within a Special Area of Conservation and is leased to us (on a peppercorn rent) by Tarmac Ltd., who have quarried in the area for many years. 

Carmel National Nature Reserve is one of the UK's richest wildlife areas. It boasts 14 different habitats, which are home to some of our rarest plant and animal species and the only turlough (a seasonal lake) in mainland Britain. Adjoining the reserve are ancient meadows which date back to the ninth century and are described in the earliest documented reference to grassland management in UK history!

Quarrying has taken place across this area since the mediaeval times and still continues today. This is the main reason for our intervention – to restore areas of Carmel which have been badly affected by the impact of limestone quarrying over the years.

What can you find here:

• Mezereon – this decidous shrub is incredibly rare in the wild and provides a colourful display from February onwards when it flowers.
• Devil's bit scabious – so named because its roots stop abruptly as if they have been bitten off by the devil out of spite! An important food plant for the marsh fritillary butterfly – a species which is declining in almost every European country.
• Greater butterfly orchid – bees have too short a proboscis to reach this orchid's nectar – but some moths can reach and the flower emits a vanilla-like perfume to attract them. This orchid flowers June and July and grows 30—60cm tall.

What have we done at Carmel recently:

• Opened up a number a woodland glades that had become overgrown with scrub
• Removed the invasive shrub Cotoneaster which was rapidly engulfing the two largest abandoned quarries.
• Re-established coppice management in the reserve's neglected woodlands.
• Provided certified chainsaw and brushcutter training courses for volunteers and local people.
• Held a volunteer Open Day for participants to experience different types practical conservation work.
• Erected a boundary fence on our Mynydd Carmel land so that it can be grazed once again.
• Built three stock handling pens around the reserve to make it easier to handle animals for inspection or veterinary purposes.

What are we planning to do now:

• Bring back diversity to meadows in the reserve that were intensively managed in the past by seeding them with green hay taken from fields on the reserve that still have a high diversity of grassland plants.
• Work in partnership with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust to extend the range of the Shrill Carder bee so that it includes the Carmel reserve.
• Set up a charcoal production project to make use of the wood obtained from the management of the hazel coppices.
• Set up a local volunteer group to help monitor the reserve.
• Open up new trails so visitors can experience more of the reserve and see the effects of our practical conservation work.

Where to find Carmel National Nature Reserve:

Please follow the link below to see where Carmel NNR is

http://www.multimap.com/s/OhnGvNgO