Carry on Connecting

Biodiversity award for ARC reserve! By Mandy Cartwright - North Wales Officer

A North Wales nature reserve managed by ARC has won the small-scale ‘Project of the Year’ 2019 at the biodiversity awards run by the Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA).

The White Lion Nature Reserve in Penymynydd, Flintshire, was created in partnership with housing developer Redrow and is home to great crested newts among other species.

The Big Biodiversity Challenge and its Awards is in its sixth year. The award judges were impressed with ARC’s partnership approach, community focus, ecological output and legacy of the project. At the award ceremony a keynote speaker from the British Ecological Society chose it as one of their stand-out projects.

The White Lion Reserve is a 0.8 hectare site maintained by ARC with wildlife and people in mind. It is located within a Redrow development of 85 family homes. The development was shaped by the natural environment and carefully landscaped to preserve habitats and enhance biodiversity.

The Reserve is home to five native amphibian species, including the great crested newt, whose population has increased six-fold in the first three years since the development’s launch, along with mammals, birds and invertebrates such as the rare mud snail.

Guided walks, species surveys and pond-dipping sessions delivered by ARC on the reserve are a popular feature of life for the local community.

North Wales