The West Glamorgan Flora website is a fantastic resource for anyone interested in the wild plants, fungi, bryophytes, and lichens of West Glamorgan (covering Neath Port Talbot and Swansea). Created by the Chair of NPT LNP Dr Charles Hipkin alongside Barry Stewart of Celtic Wildflowers , the site brings together detailed species information, photographs, and distribution maps, making it easy to explore the rich biodiversity of the area. Visitors can search by species name or habitat, view the distributions of the species in the region, browse recent sightings in the photo gallery, and learn from a wealth of knowledge about the flora of the region. It’s a practical, well-organised tool for naturalists, researchers, and anyone curious about local wildlife. It's a mammoth task populating each species with information, so the site is still in development, but there is already a tremendous amount of information available to browse. A big thank you and congratulations to Barry and Charles for their hard work and dedication in building this resource. It’s a valuable contribution to understanding and protecting the natural heritage of West Glamorgan.

We’re excited to unveil the new logo for the Neath Port Talbot Local Nature Partnership ! This design reflects the unique character of our county—where industrial heritage meets natural beauty. The logo brings together elements of our rich history and the vibrant landscapes we work to protect, symbolizing the harmony between people, wildlife, and place. Our aim was to create a visual identity that celebrates both the resilience of nature and the community’s commitment to conservation. You’ll start seeing this logo on our projects, events, and communications as we continue working to enhance biodiversity across Neath Port Talbot. How many species and habitats can you identify in our logo? Comment below!

We had a fantastic time at the Nature Unearthed event on Sunday 13 July 2025 , at the stunning Margam Country Park . The weather couldn’t have been better—blue skies and sunshine set the perfect scene for a day of celebrating nature. This special event was part of Wales Nature Week and was proudly supported by the Welsh Government’s Local Places for Nature fund . It was a wonderful opportunity for people of all ages to connect with the natural world through a variety of engaging activities. A huge thank you goes out to all our amazing partners who hosted stalls and ran activities throughout the day. From wild yoga and bug hunts to fungi walks and river discoveries, your enthusiasm and dedication made the event truly memorable. If you’d like to get involved and be part of future events like this, why not join the NPT Local Nature Partnership ? You can also visit our What's On page to see what other events we have coming up.

These are some some of the interesting sites for nature that you can visit around NPT. There are many other sites to discover! Special Sites in NPT Afan Forest Park Parc Coedwig Afan This large park in the Afan Valley, 48 square miles in area, has lots of tracks and trails that allow visitors to experience nature at any time of year. A Visitor Centre is situated on the A4107 near Cynonville where there is a car park and other facilities including visitor information and refreshments. From here you can take a number of walks, many of which are suitable for families. Read More Bryn Tip Tomen y Bryn Bryn Tip is an area of grassland on the edge of the village of Bryn. In the early 20th century it was the site of the Bryn Navigation Colliery, once a busy and prosperous coal mine which provided employment for hundreds of people. Like many local mines, the colliery ceased operation in the 1960s, leaving behind an imposing, sharply pointed, pyramid-like tip of coal spoil. To stabilise it and render it safe from landslip, the tip was eventually landscaped into a lower mound shape, capped and seeded with a remedial grass and legume mixture. Since then, over the decades, Bryn Tip has developed into a species rich open mosaic site that is now designated a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC). Read More Conifer Plantations Planigfeydd Conifferau Woodland and scrub occupies about 40% of the land area of NPT and the greatest part of that is conifer plantation. Large blocks of conifer forest occur in Crynant, Rheola, Glyncastle, Margam and Afan Forest Park (which includes the Michaelston and Pelenna forests). Read More Cwm Du Glen Dyffryn Cwm Du Cwm Du Glen is close to Pontardawe Town Centre and may be accessed from a number of points, but most people use the main (signposted) trail which starts near Pontardawe Cross. The site is well known as an area of high aesthetic and biodiversity value with its steep-sided riparian woodland that dresses the lower section of the Upper Clydach Valley. Read More Gnoll Estate Country Park Parc Gwledig Ystâd y Gnoll The Gnoll Estate, once the 18th century seat of the entrepreneurial Mackworth family, sits prominently on a low hill overlooking Neath town centre. With its wooded landscape, 4 lakes and spacious grassland, it is today an important resource of urban greenspace and a popular venue for the town’s residents and visitors. There is plenty of wildlife to see here at any time of year. Read More Melincwrt Valley and Cwm Caca Dyffryn Melin-cwrt a Chwm Caca A short walk from the village of Melincwrt, near Resolven, will take you along the Melincwrt Brook into a little nature reserve managed by The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales. It is an easy walk that takes you into the lower Melincwrt Valley as far as the photogenic waterfall, Sgwd Rhyd yr Hesg, which falls spectacularly into a jumble of sandstone boulders at its base. Read More Pant y Sais Fen and the Tennant Canal Ffen Pant y Sais a Chamlas Tenant Pant y Sais Fen is an area of reed-dominated wetland which has almost contiguous connectivity with Crymlyn Bog, the largest lowland fen in Wales. Combined, they make up one of the most important wetland habitats in south Wales. Read More Roadside Verges and Roundabouts Lleiniau Ymyl Ffordd a Chylchfannau As a result of changes in farming practises, modernisation and development, species-rich mesotrophic grasslands, such as traditional hay meadows, have become very rare in NPT and are a dwindling resource in Wales in general. Roadside verges can fulfil a similar role for biodiversity if they are managed properly and although they are not a perfect solution they are becoming important refuges for grassland floras and the insects that live in them. Read More Sand Dune Systems of Baglan Burrows and Crymlyn Burrows Systemau twyni tywod Twyni Baglan a Thwyni Crymlyn The coastal edge of NPT sweeps around Swansea Bay, from Swansea University Bay Campus near Jersey Marine, to Morfa Beach at the mouth of the River Kenfig. Two hundred years ago this coastal strip was composed of pristine sand dunes, but much of that has since been lost to industrial development. Only Crymlyn Burrows and Baglan Burrows, which are situated on either side of the Neath river mouth, survive as significant areas of sand dune ecosystems in NPT today, although smaller areas of dunes also occur in the vicinity of Aberavon and Morfa. Read More Some notable ancient deciduous woodlands in the vicinity of Neath and Briton Ferry Rhai coetiroedd collddail hynafol nodedig yn ardal Castell-nedd a Llansawel Woodland occupies about 40% of the land area of NPT and although most of this is conifer plantation there is also a substantial amount of ancient, semi-natural Oak woodland. In most there are good paths and trails, and many of these woodlands can be accessed easily. Read More The Dulais Valley Marshy Grasslands Glaswelltiroedd Corsiog Cwm Dulais Species-rich marshy grasslands have suffered badly in Wales as a result of agricultural improvements, conifer afforestation, development, inappropriate management and neglect and, unfortunately, there are now few good examples of this extremely important habitat in NPT. However, some parts of the northern sector of the county, particularly in the Dulais and Aman Valleys, still retain marshy grasslands that support significant, biodiverse communities. Read More The Neath Canal Camlas Nedd The Neath Canal is the longest canal in NPT, stretching for Briton Ferry to Glyn Neath in the Vale of Neath, more or less following the direction of the Neath River, which it crosses in a small aqueduct near Clyne. Read More The Nedd Fechan and Pyrddin Valleys Dyffrynnoedd Nedd Fechan a Phyrddin From the little village of Pontneddfechan in the north-east corner of NPT, there is a very popular riverside walk that will take you into a temperate rainforest environment that is renowned for its biodiversity and scenic beauty. Parking is available along Pontneathvaughan Road and from there you can access the trail behind the Angel Inn which takes you into the lower Nedd Fechan Valley. Read More The Vale of Neath Riparian Woodland Corridor Coridor Coetir Glannau Afon Bro Nedd The most diverse woodland flora in NPT is found in the ribbons of woodland that occur along the banks of the River Neath between Tonna and Glynneath. Wych Elm is a common component of these riparian woodlands, with Ash, Sycamore, Alder, Hazel and Small-leaved Lime. Read More

Woodland and scrub occupies about 40% of the land area of NPT and the greatest part of that is conifer plantation. Large blocks of conifer forest occur in Crynant, Rheola, Glyncastle, Margam and Afan Forest Park (which includes the Michaelston and Pelenna forests). < Back Conifer Plantations Planigfeydd Conifferau Woodland and scrub occupies about 40% of the land area of NPT and the greatest part of that is conifer plantation. Large blocks of conifer forest occur in Crynant, Rheola, Glyncastle, Margam and Afan Forest Park (which includes the Michaelston and Pelenna forests). Coetir a phrysgwydd yw tua 40% o arwynebedd tir CNPT a phlanigfeydd conifferau yw’r rhan helaethaf o hynny. Ceir blociau mawr o goedwig gonwydd yn y Creunant, Rheola, Glyncastell, Margam a Pharc Coedwig Afan (sy’n cynnwys coedwigoedd Michaelston a Phelena). There is free public access via forest gates to all these places, although parking may be limited and access may be restricted to some places at certain times of year when forestry operations are taking place. For those who like walking or cycling, there is lots of interesting wildlife which can be looked for along forest roads and old railway tracks. From the Afan Forest Park visitors centre near Cynonville, where there is a large pay and display car park, there are numerous tracks and trails that will allow you to experience the plantation environment. Nearby, at Rhyslyn (Pontrhydyfen), parking is free. The mature forests in our plantations are mostly dominated by Sitka Spruce. They provide breeding habitat for birds like Crossbill, Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, Honey Buzzard, Common Buzzard and Goshawk, while conifer thickets and scrub areas have diverse bird assemblages that include Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler and Whitethroat. Clear-felled areas are important for their breeding populations of Nightjar and Tree Pipit in summer and the occasional Great Grey Shrike in winter. This habitat is also important for small mammals (e.g. voles) and reptiles. A leisurely, early morning walk along the forest roads in any of our plantations, will allow you opportunities to see and hear lots of birds and maybe spot a Fallow Deer. Miles of forest roads and tracks cut through these plantations and the banks, ditches and verges along them provide habitats for a huge diversity of wildlife. Roadside verges are often rich in flowering plants, best walked on calm days in late spring and summer when you may see Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Brown Argus, Dingy Skipper and Small Heath butterflies, all of which are priority species in NPT. More commonly you will encounter large numbers of Common Blue, Ringlet and Meadow Brown. Later in summer, the Wild Angelica, Great Willowherb, Rosebay and Hemp Agrimony, which fill the tall herb layers, attract large numbers of hoverflies and bees, and large hawker dragonflies, particularly the Golden Ringed Dragonfly and the Southern Hawker, can often be seen patrolling their territories along the roadside edges. In high summer, Keeled Skimmer and Common Darter dragonflies are encountered commonly along forest roads. Lots of priority plant species are found in our plantations, such as Ivy-leaved Bellflower which is usually found on banks above wet ditches with Bog Pimpernel and Lesser Skullcap, as well as Alpine, Fir and Stag’s-horn Clubmoss, which occur mainly in moorland and heathy habitats in the high plateaux areas. Amphibians such as Common Frog and Palmate Newt are frequently encountered in the small ponds that occur in plantations, along with Broad-bodied and Four-spotted Chaser dragonflies. Darperir mynediad am ddim i’r cyhoedd trwy gatiau’r goedwig, ond gall fod prinder lleoedd parcio a gellir cyfyngu ar fynediad i rai mannau ar adegau penodol o’r flwyddyn pan fydd gwaith coed ar waith. I’r sawl sy’n hoff o gerdded neu feicio, mae llawer o fywyd gwyllt diddorol i’w weld ar hyd y ffyrdd coedwig a hen lein y rheilffordd. O ganolfan ymwelwyr Parc Coedwig Afan ger Cynonville, lle ceir maes parcio talu ac arddangos mawr, mae nifer o lwybrau yn caniatáu i chi fwynhau amgylchedd y blanhigfa. Mae modd parcio am ddim yn Rhyslyn (Pontrhydyfen) gerllaw. Coed Sbriws Sitka yn bennaf sydd yn y fforestydd llawn dwf yn ein planigfeydd. Maen nhw’n gynefin bridio i adar megis y Gylfingroes, y Llinos Bengoch Fechan, y Pila Gwyrdd, Boda’r Mêl, y Bwncath a Gwalch Marthin, tra bod casgliadau o adar amrywiol yn y prysgwydd a’r dryslwyni conifferau, gan gynnwys Telor yr Helyg, Telor yr Ardd a’r Llwydfron. Mae ardaloedd wedi’u llwyrgympo yn bwysig ar gyfer poblogaethau o Droellwyr Mawr a Chorhedyddion y Coed sy’n bridio yno yn ystod yr haf ac ambell Gigydd Mawr yn ystod y gaeaf. Mae’r cynefin hwn yn bwysig hefyd ar gyfer mamaliaid bach (e.e. llygod pengrwn) ac ymlusgiaid. Drwy fynd am dro hamddenol yn gynnar yn y bore ar hyd ffyrdd coedwig mewn unrhyw rai o’n planigfeydd bydd cyfle i weld a chlywed nifer o adar a gweld ambell Ddanas o bosib. Mae milltiroedd o ffyrdd a llwybrau coedwig yn croesi’r planigfeydd hyn ac mae’r cloddiau, y ffosydd a’r lleiniau ymyl ar hyd-ddynt yn gynefin i amrywiaeth eang o fywyd gwyllt. Mae’r lleiniau ymyl ffordd yn aml yn gyforiog o blanhigion blodeuol a’r adeg orau i gerdded yno yw ar ddiwrnodau tawel rhwng diwedd y gwanwyn a’r haf pan allech chi weld y Fritheg Berlog Fach, yr Argws Brown, y Gwibiwr Llwyd a Gweirloÿnnod Bach y Waun, sydd i gyd yn rhywogaethau â blaenoriaeth yn CNPT. Yn fwy cyffredin, byddwch yn dod ar draws nifer mawr o’r Glesyn Cyffredin, Iâr Fach y Glaw a Llwyd y Ddôl. Yn nes ymlaen yn yr haf, mae Llysiau’r Angel, yr Helyglys Pêr, yr Helyglys Hardd a’r Byddon Chwerw, sy’n llenwi’r haenau llysiau tal, yn denu nifer mawr o bryfed hofran a gwenyn, ac yn aml gellir gweld hebogwyr mawr, yn enwedig Gwas y Neidr Eurdorchog a Gwas Neidr y De, yn patrolio’u tiriogaeth ar hyd ochrau’r ffyrdd. Pan fydd yr haf yn ei anterth, mae gweision neidr y Picellwr Cribog a’r Wäell Gyffredin i’w gweld yn aml ar hyd y ffyrdd coedwig. Mae llawer o blanhigion sy’n rhywogaethau â blaenoriaeth yn ein planigfeydd, megis y Clychlys Dail Eiddew, sydd i’w ganfod yn aml ar fanciau uwchlaw ffosydd gwlyb gyda Gwlyddyn-Mair y Gors a’r Cycyllog Bach, yn ogystal â’r Cnwp-fwsogl Alpinaidd, y Cnwp-fwsogl Mawr a’r Cnwp-fwsogl Corn Carw, a geir yn bennaf mewn cynefinoedd gweundir a rhostir iach ar y llwyfandiroedd uchel. Gwelir amffibiaid megis y Broga Cyffredin a’r Fadfall Ddŵr Balfog yn y pyllau bach sydd yn y planigfeydd, ynghyd â gweision neidr y Picellwr Praff a’r Picellwr Pedwar Nod. Gallery Previous Next

Bryn Tip is an area of grassland on the edge of the village of Bryn. In the early 20th century it was the site of the Bryn Navigation Colliery, once a busy and prosperous coal mine which provided employment for hundreds of people. Like many local mines, the colliery ceased operation in the 1960s, leaving behind an imposing, sharply pointed, pyramid-like tip of coal spoil. To stabilise it and render it safe from landslip, the tip was eventually landscaped into a lower mound shape, capped and seeded with a remedial grass and legume mixture. Since then, over the decades, Bryn Tip has developed into a species rich open mosaic site that is now designated a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC). < Back Bryn Tip Tomen y Bryn Bryn Tip is an area of grassland on the edge of the village of Bryn. In the early 20th century it was the site of the Bryn Navigation Colliery, once a busy and prosperous coal mine which provided employment for hundreds of people. Like many local mines, the colliery ceased operation in the 1960s, leaving behind an imposing, sharply pointed, pyramid-like tip of coal spoil. To stabilise it and render it safe from landslip, the tip was eventually landscaped into a lower mound shape, capped and seeded with a remedial grass and legume mixture. Since then, over the decades, Bryn Tip has developed into a species rich open mosaic site that is now designated a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC). Ardal o laswelltir ar gyrion pentref y Bryn yw Tomen y Bryn. Ar ddechrau’r ugeinfed ganrif, hwn oedd safle Pwll Glo Bryn Navigation, sef pwll glo prysur a ffyniannus a oedd yn cyflogi cannoedd o bobl. Fel llawer o byllau glo lleol, fe’i caewyd yn y 1960au, gan adael ar ei ôl domen sylweddol ar ffurf pyramid â chopa bigog. Er mwyn sefydlogi’r domen ac atal tirlithriadau, gwnaed gwaith tirweddu i greu ffurf is a mwy crwn cyn capio’r domen a hau cymysgedd o wair a chiblys i’w hadfer. Yn ystod y degawdau ers hynny mae Tomen y Bryn wedi datblygu’n safle mosaig agored cyfoethog ei rywogaethau sydd bellach wedi’i ddynodi’n Safle o Bwysigrwydd er Cadwraeth Natur (SINC). There is a surprising habitat diversity here which includes mesotrophic grassland, heathland, wet flushed areas and gorse scrub. Skylark and Meadow Pipit are common species on the upper grass-dominated slopes while Slow-worm and Common (Viviparous) Lizard are frequently observed basking on the edges of the gorse scrub, where there are breeding Linnet. Bryn Tip is probably the best site in NPT to see Dark-green Fritillary butterflies. In their larval stage, they feed on Common Dog-violet, which is abundant on the site, while the adults, which fly in late spring and early summer, feed on nectar of various plants but seem to like Marsh Thistle, which is also common on the tip. Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary and Grayling also fly here as do more common butterflies such as Small Heath, Common Blue, Small Skipper, Ringlet and others. One of the most remarkable features of Bryn Tip is its huge population of Bee Orchids which numbered almost one thousand there in 2021. Southern Marsh-orchid also occurs in large numbers but Common Spotted-orchid is much less common. Carline Thistle, a characteristic thistle on coal spoil, is a conspicuous member of the dry, free-draining soils along the main track. Bryn Tip hosts a number of Sedge species, including Common Sedge, Grey Sedge, Pale Sedge, Pill Sedge, Spiked Sedge, Yellow Sedge, Glaucous Sedge and Green-ribbed Sedge. Yellow Sedge is particularly common in the flushed areas, where you will also find the beautiful Bog Pimpernel. Some of the more conspicuous, colourful tall herbs on the site are both Common and Fragrant Agrimony, Meadowsweet and Great Willowherb. The main conservation challenge on Bryn Tip is preserving its current grassland condition. Management includes the removal of invasive non-native plant species such as Cotoneasters and Himalayan Balsam and the employment of a sympathetic grazing regime. A wildlife tower has been recently added to the site in order to provide homes and roosts for various species, including bats. Mae amrywiaeth rhyfeddol o gynefinoedd yma, gan gynnwys glaswelltir mesotroffig, rhostir, llaciau gwlyb a phrysgwydd eithin. Mae’r Ehedydd a Chorhedydd y Waun yn rhywogaethau cyffredin yn y glaswellt ar y llethrau uwch tra bod Nadroedd Defaid a Madfallod (Bywesgorol) yn aml i’w gweld yn torheulo ar ymyl y prysgwydd eithin, lle mae’r Llinos yn bridio. Mae’n fwy na thebyg mai Tomen y Bryn yw’r lle gorau yn CNPT i weld y Frithog Werdd. Mae’r larfâu yn bwyta’r Fioled Gyffredin, sy’n doreithiog ar y safle, tra bo’r oedolion, sy’n hedfan ar ddiwedd y gwanwyn a dechrau’r haf, yn bwydo ar neithdar gwahanol blanhigion ond maen nhw’n hoff iawn, yn ôl pob golwg, o Ysgall y Gors, sydd hefyd yn gyffredin ar y domen. Gwelir y Fritheg Berlog Fach a’r Gweirlöyn Llwyd yn hedfan yma hefyd ynghyd â gloÿnnod byw mwy cyffredin megis Gweirlöyn Bach y Waun, y Glesyn Cyffredin, y Gwibiwr Bach, Gweirlöyn y Glaw ac eraill. Un o nodweddion mwyaf trawiadol Tomen y Bryn yw ei phoblogaeth enfawr o Degeiriannau’r Gwenyn, y cyfrifwyd bron mil ohonynt yno yn 2021. Mae Tegeirian-y-gors Deheuol yn niferus iawn yma ond mae’r Tegeirian Brych yn llawer llai cyffredin. Gwelir bod Ysgall Siarl, sy’n fath nodweddiadol o ysgall ar domenni glo yn tyfu’n amlwg yn y pridd sych, sy’n draenio’n dda, ar hyd ymyl y prif lwybr. Mae Tomen y Bryn yn gartref i nifer o rywogaethau o Hesg, gan gynnwys yr Hesgen Gyffredin, yr Hesgen Lwyd, yr Hesgen Welw, yr Hesgen Bengron, yr Hesgen Ysbigog Borffor, yr Hesgen Felen, Hesgen Lwydlas y Calch a’r Hesgen Ddeulasnod. Mae’r Hesgen Felen yn arbennig o gyffredin yn y llaciau lle mae planhigyn hardd Gwlyddyn-Mair y Gors i’w weld hefyd. Ymysg y llysiau tal, lliwgar ac amlycaf ar y safle, mae Llysiau’r Dryw a Llysiau’r Dryw Peraroglus, Erwain a’r Helyglys Pêr. Y brif her o ran cadwraeth Tomen y Bryn yw diogelu cyflwr y glaswelltir presennol. Mae’r gwaith rheoli yn cynnwys gwaredu rhywogaethau anfrodorol ymledol megis Cotoneaster a Jac y Neidiwr a defnyddio cyfundrefn bori sensitif. Ychwanegwyd tŵr bywyd gwyllt ar y safle yn ddiweddar er mwyn darparu cartrefi a mannau clwydo ar gyfer gwahanol rywogaethau, gan gynnwys ystlumod. Gallery Previous Next