Last week we celebrated our new visitor trails at RSPB Cors Ddyga (formally known as RSPB Malltraeth Marsh). Until now, the species on this tranquil reserve have been vulnerable and the pathways slightly inaccessible for visitors. However, many of the species on the reserve have now reached stable population levels and we have decided the time is right to welcome visitors by enjoy our new interpretative trail. We want to excite and inspire people about the nature of the wetlands and tell the story of how the human history of the site has offered a fantastic opportunity for wildlife. This new trail– which its first section is wheelchair and pushchair friendly- is waiting to be explored!
The story of Cors Ddyga begins under the sea. In the eighteenth century the Cefni Estuary spanned from the east of Malltraeth village in southwest Anglesey almost as far as Llangefni at the centre of the island. This all changed in 1788 when an act was passed empowering land-owners to build a sea embankment, divert the river, drain the land and to divide the land reclaimed from the sea into allotments for livestock grazing. Much of the marsh was only suitable for summer grazing because of the waterlogged conditions in winter, which still often occurs today.
Cultivating the land led to the discovery of a coal seam running parallel to the Cefni River. Mining here was dangerous, the land had been reclaimed from the sea and miners often worked alongside the risk of flooding. By 1915 all coal mining had ceased on the marsh, the pits subsided and the land was once again used for agriculture. However the Berw Colliery chimney still stands today, as the largest remaining evidence of coal mining on Anglesey. This history is deemed to be so significant that the chimney has been designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
After the mines were closed, Llynnau Gwaith-Glo, became a haven for wildlife. The low lying land collected water and, in the areas not used as farmland, became a series of interconnecting ponds and reedbeds. The habitat value of the site today was created by the historic human intervention of agriculture and mining and we want to share this fascinating story with the public.
Wildlife was happy at the newly formed Malltraeth Marsh for a few years, however, the habitat became unsuitable for some species, such us bitterns, with the last pair leaving Malltraeth Marsh in the 1970’s (and leaving Anglesey as a whole in the 1980’s). RSPB Cymru was severely concerned about the future of the bittern, and in 1994 worked hard to provide them with more suitable conditions. We have been creating new ditches and planting reeds and extending and widening ditches.
And the result? RSPB Cors Ddyga has become one of the largest and healthiest reedbeds in Wales, now home to stabling populations of: otter, water vole (UK’s fastest declining land mammal), lapwing, spotted crake, European eel, pochard, curlew, marsh harrier, northern shoveler, gadwall, snipe and reed bunting. It is also one of the most important botanical wetlands in the UK, supporting 27 species which are in decline. We have also recovered a population of four wintering bitterns and the reserve has become a haven for some of our most treasured wildlife.
And last but not least, all of this wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated support of our volunteers and all their muddy hard work! They have helped created important habitats for our wildlife to thrive and without their help we wouldn’t have reached this achievement. If you would like to join our volunteers and discover the opportunities on offer ar RSPB Cors Ddyga we would love to hear from you! If you’d like to see how you can get involved please contact RSPB Cymru’s Community and Volunteer Development Officer, Eva Vazquez on eva.vazquezgarcia@rspb.org.uk / 01248 672850.
To know more about the site, please click here. Members of staff and volunteers are waiting to welcome you!
This project has been made possible thanks to the support of The Heritage Lottery Fund, the Gaynor-Celmyn-Jones Charitable Trust and the Sustainable Development Fund, a Welsh Government initiative in the Isle of Anglesey.