Lake Vyrnwy Estate for sale.

It as announced today by Severn Trent Water, that they are offering the Lake Vyrnwy Estate for sale.

 

Position Statement - Severn Trent Water sale of land at Lake Vyrnwy

 

The RSPB Lake Vyrnwy nature reserve is part of the Berwyn Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and was declared as a National Nature Reserve (NNR) in October 1998.  It also forms 26.5% of the Berwyn Special Protection Area (SPA) for peregrine, hen harrier and merlin, and 20% of the Candidate Special Area of Conservation (cSAC). Within the reserve there are some 3,500 hectares of moorland, including wet heath, dry heath and blanket bog habitat types, with the Berwyn representing one of the largest blocks of this habitat now remaining in Wales.

 

The RSPB reserve was established in 1977 and until 1996, the RSPB’s primary role was to evaluate the area for its conservation interests and provide information and advice to partner organisations on upland management. 

 

In April 1996, the RSPB entered into a farming partnership with Severn Trent Water and took over the day-to-day running of the Severn Trent Water in-hand farm, which covers over 11,000 acres. This, for the first time since RSPB involvement, provided the opportunity to manage the grazing primarily for conservation benefits.

 

A new reserve agreement for a further 21 years was signed in June 1998 between RSPB and Severn Trent Water to continue the Lake Vyrnwy management partnership and in August 1999 the farm entered into Organic conversion and became fully Organic in August 2001.

 

Laurence Rose, Acting Director for RSPB Cymru, said: “RSPB Cymru and Severn Trent Water have had a long standing partnership at Lake Vyrnwy for over thirty years. If the land is sold we will insist on the continued conservation of the site’s diverse wildlife and habitats and try to secure the future of the organic farm. The RSPB will also be actively involved in the formal consultation that will follow the announcement of the sale.  We can assure the many thousands of visitors to the reserve that we aim to continue to develop the site for wildlife and people.”

 

Key wildlife species of the SPA and SSSI

SPA species

SSSI assemblage species

hen harrier

hen harrier

merlin

Buzzard

peregrine

Merlin

 

peregrine

 

red grouse

 

Black grouse

 

golden plover

 

Snipe

 

Curlew

 

Short-eared owl

 

whinchat

 

Stonechat

 

wheatear

 

ring ousel

 

Raven

 

Full Press detail on this link. http://www.countytimes.co.uk/news/90381/lake-vyrnwy-estate-put-up-for-sale-for-11m.aspx