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Special Species PINE LONG-HORNED HOVERFLY This gorgeous hoverfly, with fiery red hairs that make it look like a burning ember, is only found at one location in Wales – among the tall pine trees of Margam Park. It was first recorded there in 2019. It’s larvae inhabit water-filled rot holes of conifers and adults can be found basking in the spring sunshine on pine tree trunks. WOODLAND FUNGI Woodlands are important habitats for fungi and local conifer forests support a large diversity of these fascinating organisms. More than 130 species of macrofungi have been found in Sitka Spruce forests in NPT and Beech woods, such as those in Briton Ferry Woods and Glyncastle Forest, often contain diverse communities. BLUE GROUND BEETLE The Blue Ground Beetle has declined dramatically in Britain over the last 100 years, but it seems to have a stronghold in South Wales. The recent discovery of this striking beetle in Maesmelin Woods and a few other oak woodlands in the Neath Valley is a significant success story for biodiversity in NPT. It seems likely that more populations of this beetle will be discovered in the county. MARSH FRITILLARY The Marsh Fritillary butterfly has undergone a significant decline in numbers in Wales and this picture is reflected in the dramatic loss of populations from NPT over the last 50 years. Its favoured habitat in the county is marshy grassland or rhos pasture with Devil's-bit Scabious, which the caterpillars feed on, and plants that provide nectar for flying adults, e.g. Meadow Thistle. Loss of appropriate habitat followed by broken meta-population connectivity have probably played a major role in the decline. IVY LEAVED BELLFLOWER Due to the large losses of its native habitats which have occurred in the last 100 years, Ivy-Leaved Bellflower is an endangered species of some concern. In NPT, it is found in a few unimproved marshy grassland and heathland habitats but also in humid banks above streams and ditches in conifer plantations where it is protected from intense grazing. The plight and conservation of this charming species has been ignored in Wales while it has continued to shrink in its abundance due to habitat loss. Populations in NPT require careful consideration and management. ADDER The Adder is the only venomous snake in the UK but is not an aggressive species. Adders are mostly found in areas of rough countryside with edge habitats. They are variable in colour but always have a distinctive dark zig-zag down the spine. The best way to find them is to move slowly along the edge of a path through bracken but even then you will need to be very quiet and have a keen eye to spot them. Adders unfortunately still suffer from some persecution in NPT. © Charles Hipkin GREATER BURNET Greater Burnet is a species of mesotrophic grasslands, particularly on flood plains, but it is also found in roadside verges and dune grasslands. It is quite tall and very conspicuous when it is in flower with its almost black, wind-pollinated flowerheads. It is widely distributed in the Neath and upper Tawe Valleys where it is an important indicator of semi-improved, mesotrophic grassland. Its scattered distribution in the upper Neath Valley between Resolven and Glyn Neath suggest that the bottom-lands here were predominantly alluvial grasslands before they were drained and improved for grazing. ROESEL'S BUSH CRICKET This attractive cricket is a relatively new addition to the NPT fauna. It was reported by a member of the public in 2019 from the Skewen area. A medium sized cricket they are brown to yellow with a green shade with three pale spots on the thorax and a cream-coloured margin around the sides of the pronotum. Females are identified by their large ovipositor (which looks like a sting but is totally harmless). The males have a very distinct song (striadulation) which is continuous and very high pitched. The species is currently expanding its range from south-east England north and west, possibly due to climate change as they do best in hot summers. GREATER BUTTERFLY ORCHID This large, striking orchid is a key indicator of traditionally managed, neutral, mesotrophic grassland in south Wales. It is currently known from only two grassland sites in NPT, both in the northern sector of the county. The number of individuals that appear varies greatly from year to year, which is fairly typical of hay meadow orchids. The flowers emit a heavy scent, particularly at night when they attract the attention of large moths, such as hawkmoths, which feed on the nectar contained in the flower’s deep spur. The survival of this priority species in NPT is completely dependent on the continued management of the grasslands in which it is found as hay meadows. © Mark Hipkin © Barry Stewart © Charles Hipkin SHRILL CARDER BEE This very rare bee is only found in a handful of places in the UK with NPT being a stronghold in South Wales. It’s a bit tricky to identify but with a good look you may see the main features: pale blond in colour, with a dark brown band between the wing bases and a ginger tail. The queens fly very fast creating a high-pitched buzz. The coastal grasslands of NPT are an important area for the species. They favour wildflower habitats such as sand dunes, with plants with long corolla such as Red Bartsia. LAPWING Lapwings are a scarce and declining breeding species in the County and are more common on passage and in winter. There have been no recent breeding records in the uplands with breeding sites confined to coastal areas, particularly open mosaic habitats on previously industrialised land, which is often ephemeral. There were a minimum of 8 pairs breeding in the old BP site at Baglan Bay in 2019 and probable breeding at Llandarcy. However, numbers have declined significantly in these sites in recent years. The general decline in lapwing breeding numbers across Wales has been linked to changes in farming policy and practice. BASIL THYME A beautiful, small, violet-flowered member of the Sage family that is now very scarce in Britain and considered to be vulnerable in Wales. It is largely a southern species, usually associated with calcareous grassland but it has undergone a significant decline in this habitat in Britain in recent decades as a result of grassland improvements and intensive grazing. It is exclusively coastal in its distribution in NPT where it is a rare species of dune grassland. However, large populations of this species occur in open mosaic habitats on previously industrialised land near Baglan Dunes and these may be the largest populations of this species in Wales. Development of these sites in the future poses a significant challenge to the conservation of this species in NPT and Wales. © Vaughn Matthews © Vaughn Matthews HEDGEHOG The Hedgehog is well recorded in most of the urban areas of NPT, although many of these records are from road deaths. The perils of crossing roads, along with other pressures such as barriers between gardens and the use of toxic slug pellets are contributing to the decline of this iconic species. A trend for 'tidy', low maintenance gardens is leading to additional habitat loss for the 'gardeners' friend'. SWIFT This summer visitor breeds in mainly urban areas in NPT however numbers recorded as confirmed breeders have declined in recent years. This decline is thought to be due in part to a loss of nesting opportunities as buildings are renovated to modern standards. The provision of nest boxes or integral swift bricks in suitable buildings may help to increase available nesting sites. COMMON TOAD The Common Toad is another species susceptible to road deaths in NPT, when in spring, they migrate across urban areas in their hundreds to their breeding ponds. The case study below provides an account of how members of the LNP are working to ameliorate this. Although Toads are likely to be well distributed in NPT, they are under- recorded. OTTER Increases in the national Otter population in recent decades are viewed by most people as a welcome indicator of the renewed natural health and vigour of our riparian habitats. The widespread occurrence of Otter spraint on riverside rocks and other stone structures reveal the widespread occurrence of Otter on NPT's rivers and canals. Nevertheless, there is some evidence that numbers have decreased in recent years and there are indications of occasional persecution. SALMON All the major river systems in NPT have Salmon in them. It is becoming more obvious that Salmon are in crisis throughout the UK as well as Wales with suggested figures of a decline of 70% in 25 years (Atlantic Salmon Trust). Read more in the case study below. The video above shows a salmon migrating through the Green Park Weir fish pass in 2015. DIPPER Dippers occur on fast-flowing, unpolluted streams and are seen regularly on most river catchments in the county all year round. In 2019 there were a minimum of 12 confirmed breeding locations in NPT. Current studies of this amber-listed species include a ringing program being conducted on the River Afan and its tributaries, aimed at increasing our knowledge of local breeding success and survival rates over time. WATER VOLE Water Voles were not an uncommon feature of wetland and aquatic habitats in NPT 60 years ago, but they have undergone a catastrophic decline in recent decades. Loss of habitat and predation by American Mink have probably played important roles in this. However, a significant Water Vole population has been discovered recently in wetland areas inside upland conifer plantations in the county. Peat bog habitat restoration projects are now incorporating management for water voles and monitoring the populations here. The video above shows a Water Vole caught on camera at Llyn Fach by The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales. SPHAGNUM Sphagnum (also known as bog moss or peat moss) is a bryophyte genus which contains a number of species that are characteristic of wet areas including peatlands and flushes. The typical growth form of these important plants consist of branches, called fascicles, which are held in groups along the stem, and an active growing centre, called the capitulum, at the top. Sphagnum can absorb and hold many times its own dry weight in water and is the ecosystem engineer for peatland habitats. FEN RAFT SPIDER This is the UK's largest spider and one of the rarest. This striking species reaches up to 23mm in body size and has a distinctive pale stripe along its flanks. These ferocious predators, which are capable of catching and eating stickleback fish, are found at very few sites in the UK, including the Tennant Canal near Jersey Marine. They are usually seen in summer, characteristically basking on floating and emergent vegetation. In some years they occur in relatively large numbers. ©Richard Pryce ©Vaughn Matthews FERNS The crags of Craig y Llyn are home to a number of fern species that are scarce or rare in south Wales and of conservation concern. One of them is Wilson’s Filmy-fern, a small plant with thin, translucent fronds that form a mat on shady, vertical rocks. This Atlantic species is confined to humid ravines and north-facing cliffs in south Wales and is only known from Craig y Llyn in NPT. That is also true of Mountain Male-fern, a northern montane species at the southern limit of its British range in Glamorgan. Other ferns worthy of note here are Oak Fern and Beech Fern. These two Boreo-temperate species make attractive displays in the hardy plant communities of Craig y Llyn and have few other locations in the county. KESTREL The Kestrel is now Red Listed in Wales following a widespread decline across the country. The reasons for this decline are thought to be related to increased mortality with juvenile birds unable to find sufficient insect food, predation by Goshawks and also poisoning by rodenticides. The Kestrel was once a fairly common breeding resident in NPT, its main habitat being rough grassland, where it preys on voles, and also coastal areas. For many years they bred in the roof of the Fords factory near Jersey Marine (now Bay Studios) and on some inland cliffs but the species has declined dramatically in recent years with few breeding records. CLUBMOSSES NPT has 3 species of clubmosses; Alpine, Fir and Stag‘s-horn. They are integral and iconic features of the county’s upland biodiversity. Contrary to their misleading name, they are not mosses at all but vascular plants which are related closely to ferns. In the past, when the high ground of NPT was dominated by moderately-grazed, unimproved moorland and dwarf-shrub heath, Fir and Stag’s-horn Clubmoss species would have been relatively widespread. Today, they are uncommon in the intensively grazed uplands of NPT. Fir Clubmoss is only found on north-facing sandstone ledges and scree and in banks of un-grazed dwarf-shrub heath in conifer plantations. Alpine and Stag’s-horn Clubmoss are confined to these banks of heather and bilberry in plantations. Alpine Clubmoss, which is our rarest clubmoss, occurs at its UK southern limit in NPT. All our clubmoss species are vulnerable and endangered. SANDERLING Sanderling are small wading birds that breed in coastal tundra in the High Arctic. In winter they migrate southwards and significant numbers of them spend the winter in Britain, particularly where there are coastal beaches with long sandy shore lines. They rely on the availability of coastlines where they roost and feed on crustaceans, molluscs and marine worms. Recently, wintering numbers of sanderling have declined in the UK where this species is now amber-listed. Nationally important numbers have occurred in Swansea Bay between late summer and spring and they have been a notable feature of undisturbed sections of Crymlyn Burrows until recently. Unfortunately uncontrolled and sustained disturbance of winter populations are having a catastrophic effect on roosting and feeding flocks in NPT. SEA STOCK Sea Stock is one of a small number of Mediterranean plants that are found in Wales and has been known from coastal sand dunes in NPT for about 150 years. It is a nationally rare, Section 7 species and a European endemic that is growing at its global northern limit in the coastal sand dunes of NPT. It is found in mobile sand communities and is restricted to and specifically requires this specialised habitat in our area. For reasons that are not understood properly, population sizes of this attractive plant have varied greatly over the decades. Burial in sand after storm events and grazing by rabbits may play a part in this. The enormous population of Sea Stock that occurred on Crymlyn Burrows in the 1980s has dwindled to a handful of individuals in recent years. Larger populations are currently known from the remnant dune systems between Baglan and Morfa Tip. SMALL BLUE This is the smallest UK butterfly but can be seen in numbers where it occurs. The upper wing is a dusky colour with a hint of blue and the underwing is a very light brown-blue with obvious black spots, no orange as in the Common Blue. They rely solely on Kidney Vetch for their caterpillar food plant. Small Blues can be found all along the NPT coastal belt and at some inland sites, particularly where there is an abundance of Kidney Vetch. © Jacob Bøtter HARBOUR PORPOISE Swansea Bay has year-round Harbour Porpoise presence, with annual mother-calf sightings in late summer-autumn. Regular near-shore foraging is also reported along the NPT Coastline. They are much smaller than native dolphin species and more difficult to spot. They do not often leave the water like dolphins but ‘breach’ with their back in a smooth arc. Porpoise have a very short beak making their head look blunt compared to a dolphin. KESTREL The Kestrel is now Red Listed in Wales following a widespread decline across the country. The reasons for this decline are thought to be related to increased mortality with juvenile birds unable to find sufficient insect food, predation by Goshawks and also poisoning by rodenticides. The Kestrel was once a fairly common breeding resident in NPT, its main habitat being rough grassland, where it preys on voles, and also coastal areas. For many years they bred in the roof of the Fords factory near Jersey Marine (now Bay Studios) and on some inland cliffs but the species has declined dramatically in recent years with few breeding records. GREAT CRESTED GREBE Large numbers of these beautiful birds gather in winter feeding flocks in Swansea Bay where they often occur in 3 separate groups of birds spread across the bay from Blackpill (Swansea) to Aberavon (NPT). Two of these groups are usually located in NPT, one off Crymlyn Burrows and the other off Aberavon Beach. The numbers of wintering birds in these flocks has been counted at regular intervals for over 10 years by local enthusiasts (British Trust for Ornithology, Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) Counts) and it is clear from these records that the bay is a very important winter feeding site with >700 individuals counted in some months. Often, the greater proportion of the bay's grebes occur in waters off NPT and those off Crymlyn Burrows, where numbers >400 have been recorded, appears to be very significant.

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

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. < Back 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. Coetir yw oddeutu 40% o arwynebedd tir CNPT ac er mai planigfeydd conifferau yw’r rhan fwyaf, mae yna hefyd gryn dipyn o goetir Derw hynafol, lled-naturiol. Mae’r rhan fwyaf yn cynnwys llwybrau da ac mae llawer ohonynt yn cynnig mynediad hwylus. A significant block of ancient Oak woodland, managed by the Woodland Trust, occurs on the eastern flank of Drumau Mountain between Maesmelin and Dyffryn. Maesmelin Wood is famed for its Blue Ground Beetle population, a nationally rare woodland species and a priority species in NPT and the rest of the UK. Like nearby Darran Wood and Dyffryn Woods, Maesmelin Wood is dominated by Sessile Oak with abundant Holly, Silver Birch and Rowan. There are extensive networks of paths in these woods which allow you to experience wildlife in a tranquil environment. Tyn yr Heol Woods, which can be accessed from Dyffryn Road, is a beautiful valley woodland along the River Clydach near Bryncoch. In spring the colourful ground flora here is replete with Bluebell, Ramsons, Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage, Wood Anemone and Yellow Archangel, and a walk through the woods from Dyffryn Road to Main Road in spring or early summer will allow you to experience this. Craig Gwladus Country Park is a woodland area above Cilfrew and Cadoxton, about 2 miles from Neath town. It has reasonable parking facilities, from which you can gain access to the old dram road. From there you can take a leisurely walk on a straight path below a steep and thickly wooded slope. As you walk west you will reach some stopping points that give great views of Neath and its surroundings. It is worth stopping to look at the extent of semi-natural deciduous woodland there is in this part of the county. Rocky outcrops of Pennant Sandstone can be seen on the south facing slope of the woodland and in some places, rocks dripping with seepage water are covered in bryophytes. Notable among them are the upland liverworts, Straggling Pouchwort and Notched Rustwort, and the impressive dark-green cushions of Mougeot’s Yoke-moss. In many places there are large swards of Great Wood-rush and smaller amounts of Hairy Wood-rush, a good indicator of ancient woodland. In late spring there are impressive displays of Bluebell, particularly in the Beech plantation that is reached as you walk east along the dram road and the whole area is alive with bird song from Robin, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Blackcap and Chiffchaff. If you leave the dram road and head up into the steep woodland you will reach an upper path that takes you through the heart of Craig Gwladus’ ancient oakwood where there are some patches of Wood Anemone. Look out and listen for Wood Warbler if you are here in May or June. In historic times, there must have been a large, impressive and continuous forest of oak between Tonna and Baglan, which today, we see remnants of in Wenallt Wood, Tonna, Eaglesbush Valley and Briton Ferry. Eaglesbush Valley in Melyn Cryddan, is a Local Nature Reserve. A walk along Foundry Road follows the Cryddan Brook into the heart of the valley where ancient woodland clothes the steep east and north-facing slopes. Bluebell and Wood Sorrel are frequent here but there are also local patches of Wood Anemone and Dog’s Mercury, which are not common components of our valley oak woods. Where the public access road comes to an end there is an area of oakwood on the south-facing side of the valley with a field layer of Purple Moor-grass, which is a notable feature. On the other side of the valley, an uneven, narrow path takes you up into Cupola Wood, an ancient Sessile-oak woodland, with an understory of Bilberry and Heather, that is depicted on some of the earliest maps of Neath and its environs. Briton Ferry Woods (and the adjacent area of Baglan Woods) is an extensive block of forest, on the west facing slopes below Mynydd y Gaer, made up of ancient oak woodland mixed with Beech and Scots Pine plantations. A forest road, accessible from the back of Jersey Park in Briton Ferry will take you up through a very scenic Beech woodland into the Sessile-oak woodland which stretches around Myndd y Gaer to the northern end of Baglan. Woodland fungi are often abundant in these beechwoods in autumn. If you follow the forest road it will eventually take you to the old Cefn Cwrt Reservoir, which is surrounded by woodland on its northern and eastern flanks, with bilberry and heather, similar to that of Cupola Wood. Mae darn sylweddol o goetir Derw hynafol, a reolir gan Coed Cadw, ar lethr dwyreiniol Mynydd Drumau rhwng Maesmelin a Dyffryn. Mae safle Coed Maesmelin yn enwog oherwydd ei boblogaeth o’r Chwilen Ddaear Las, sef rhywogaeth goetir sy’n brin ar lefel genedlaethol ac sy’n un o’r rhywogaethau â blaenoriaeth yn CNPT ac yng ngweddill y Deyrnas Unedig. Yn yr un modd â Choed Darran a Choed Dyffryn gerllaw, coed Derw Mes Di-goes yw’r nodwedd amlycaf yng Nghoed Maesmelin ynghyd â choed Celyn, Bedw Arian a Chriafol toreithiog hefyd. Ceir rhwydweithiau helaeth o lwybrau yn y coetiroedd hyn sy’n caniatáu i bobl fwynhau bywyd gwyllt mewn amgylchedd tawel. Mae Coed Tyn yr Heol, y gellir ei gyrraedd o Heol y Dyffryn, yn goetir hyfryd ar lawr y dyffryn ar lan afon Clydach ger Bryncoch. Yn y gwanwyn, mae’r fflora daear lliwgar yma yn llawn Clychau’r Gog, Craf y Geifr, yr Eglyn Cyferbynddail, Blodyn y Gwynt a’r Farddanhadlen Felen, y gallwch eu gweld trwy gerdded o Heol Dyffryn i’r ffordd fawr yn y gwanwyn neu ar ddechrau’r haf. Ardal goetir yw Parc Gwledig Craig Gwladus uwchben Cil-ffriw a Llangatwg, ryw ddwy filltir o dref Castell-nedd. Mae cyfleusterau parcio rhesymol yno sy’n cynnig mynediad at yr hen dramffordd. O’r fan honno, gallwch gerdded yn hamddenol ar lwybr syth o dan lethr serth a choediog. Wrth i chi gerdded tua’r gorllewin, fe welwch arosfannau sy’n cynnig golygfeydd gwych dros Gastell-nedd a’r cyffiniau. Mae’n werth sefyll i gael golwg ar yr holl goetir collddail lled-naturiol sydd yn y rhan hon o’r sir. Mae brigiadau creigiog o Dywodfaen Pennant i’w gweld ar lethr y coetir sy’n wynebu’r de ac mewn rhai mannau, mae’r creigiau lle mae dŵr yn diferu wedi’u gorchuddio â bryoffytau. Mae’n werth nodi bod y rhain yn cynnwys llysiau’r afu ucheldir, y Codlys Traphlith a’r Rhydlys Hiciog, ynghyd â chlustogau gwyrdd tywyll trawiadol mwsogl Amphidium mougeotii . Mewn sawl man, gwelir tonnau mawr o Goedfrwyn Mawr a nifer llai o Goedfrwyn Blewog, sy’n ddangosydd da o goetir hynafol. Ar ddiwedd y gwanwyn, mae Clychau’r Gog yn drawiadol, yn enwedig yn y blanhigfa Ffawydd y gellir ei chyrraedd trwy gerdded tua’r dwyrain ar hyd y dramffordd, ac mae’r ardal gyfan yn seinio i gân y Robin, y Fronfraith, yr Aderyn Du, y Telor Penddu a’r Siff Siaff. Gallwch adael y dramffordd a cherdded i fyny i’r coetir serth i gyrraedd llwybr uwch a fydd yn eich arwain i ganol coetir derw hynafol Craig Gwladus, lle mae rhai clystyrau o Flodau’r Gwynt. Os byddwch yma ym mis Mai neu fis Mehefin, fe allech weld neu glywed Telor y Coed. Yn y gorffennol, mae’n rhaid bod coedwig fawr a thrawiadol o goed derw wedi ymestyn yn ddi-dor rhwng Tonna a Baglan, y mae ei gweddillion i’w gweld heddiw yng Nghoed y Wenallt, Tonna, Cwm Cryddan a Llansawel. Mae Cwm Cryddan, ym Melin Cryddan, yn Warchodfa Natur Leol. Mae modd cerdded ar hyd Heol y Ffowndri gan ddilyn Nant Cryddan i ganol y cwm lle mae coed hynafol yn gorchuddio’r llethrau serth sy’n wynebu’r dwyrain a’r gogledd. Gwelir Clychau’r Gog a Suran y Coed yma yn aml ond mae yma hefyd welyau lleol o Flodau’r Gwynt a Bresych y Cŵn, sy’n llai cyffredin yng nghoetiroedd derw’r dyffrynnoedd. Ym mhen pella’r ffordd fynediad gyhoeddus, mae coed derw yn tyfu ar ochr y cwm sy’n wynebu’r de lle mae cae o Laswellt y Gweunydd yn nodwedd hynod. Ar yr ochr draw, bydd llwybr cul ac anwastad yn eich arwain i fyny i Goed Cupola, sef coetir hynafol o goed Derw Mes Di-goes, gyda Llus a Grug yn tyfu odanynt, sydd wedi’i gynnwys ar rai o’r mapiau cynharaf o Gastell-nedd a’r cyffiniau. Mae Coed Llansawel (ac ardal Coed Baglan gerllaw) yn ddarn helaeth o goedwig, ar y llethrau sy’n wynebu’r gorllewin o dan Fynydd y Gaer, sy’n cynnwys coetir derw hynafol yn gymysg â’r planigfeydd coed Ffawydd a Phinwydd yr Alban. Bydd ffordd goedwig, y mae modd ei chyrraedd o’r tu ôl i Barc Jersey yn Llansawel, yn eich arwain trwy goetir Ffawydd hyfryd iawn i’r coetir Derw Mes Di-goes sy’n ymestyn o amgylch Mynydd y Gaer i ben gogleddol Baglan. Mae ffyngau coetir yn aml yn doreithiog yn y coedwigoedd ffawydd hyn yn yr hydref. Os dilynwch ffordd y goedwig, cewch eich arwain ymhen tipyn at hen Gronfa Ddŵr Cefn Cwrt, sydd wedi’i hamgylchynu gan goetir ar ei llethrau gogleddol a dwyreiniol lle ceir llus a grug yn debyg i Goed Cupola. Gallery Previous Next

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. < Back 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. Mae Dyffryn Cwm Du yn agos at Ganol Tref Pontardawe a cheir mynediad iddo o sawl man ond mae’r rhan fwyaf o bobl yn defnyddio’r prif lwybr (ag arwyddion) sy’n dechrau ger y Groes. Mae’r safle’n adnabyddus fel ardal werthfawr o safbwynt estheteg a bioamrywiaeth gyda’i choetir serth ar lannau’r afon sy’n gorchuddio rhan isaf pen Uchaf Cwm Clydach. Both sides of the Glen support semi-natural ancient deciduous woodland with a rich flora. Glanrhyd Plantation, which occurs above the Glen on the western side, is dominated by a mixture of native and non-native trees. More than 230 species of plants have been recorded in the Glen, which includes vascular plants (flowering plants and ferns) and a rich assemblage of bryophytes (approximately 90 species). The river is an important habitat for Dipper and Grey Wagtail and the occasional Kingfisher, which are commonly seen from the main access path. The occurrence of spraint on the riverside rocks indicates that the site is also used by Otter. Wet rocks on the banks support a diverse bryophyte flora which includes common, conspicuous species such as Overleaf Pellia, Great Scented Liverwort, Greater Water-moss and Flagellate Feather-moss, as well as nationally scarce species such as Beck Pocket-moss, Broad-leaf Grimmia and Yellowish Fork-moss. The riparian woodland that occurs along the banks of the river is dominated by Alder, with Ash and Wych Elm prominent in places. A number of notable ancient woodland indicator species such as Bluebell, Sanicle, Yellow Archangel and Wood Anemone are conspicuous here. Other conspicuous species include Remote Sedge, Pendulous Sedge, Great Wood-rush and Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage. The steep-sided valley woodland is dominated by Sessile Oak but also includes Birch, Ash, Sycamore, Holly, Rowan, Beech and small amounts of Hazel. Neither Sycamore nor Beech are native in the glen, but both are represented by some large mature trees. Plant species in the herb layer here include Wood Sorrel, Enchanter’s Nightshade, Bluebell and various species of ferns. Palmate Germanderwort, an uncommon liverwort in South Wales, occurs on decorticated logs in the valley. Woodland on the east side, in the vicinity of Gelligron waterfall (and above), supports abundant Hard Fern and attractive patches of Wood Horsetail. A large sward of Great Horsetail occurs in the section above the waterfall where there is also a population of Common Cow-wheat. A good time to visit Cwm Du Glen is late spring and early summer when all our common woodland birds can be seen and heard, plus some notable migrants such as Wood Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher. Cwm Du Glen supports habitats which are suitable for roosting bats, and the whole site provides exemplary opportunities for feeding. Some nationally scarce moths such as Blomer’s Rivulet and Double Line were recorded by the Glamorgan Moth Recording Group in Cwm Du Glen in 2002. The Double Line is a BAP priority species which depends on the occurrence of Wych Elm in the Glen. Other moths of local significance which have been recorded in Cwm Du Glen include the Sharp-angled Peacock, Scorched Wing, Small Elephant Hawk-moth, Coronet and Beautiful Snout. Mae dwy ochr y Dyffryn yn cynnal coetir collddail hynafol lled-naturiol sy’n cynnwys cyfoeth o blanhigion. Cymysgedd o goed brodorol ac anfrodorol a geir yn bennaf ym Mhlanhigfa Glanrhyd, uwchben y Dyffryn ar yr ochr orllewinol. Cofnodwyd mwy na 230 o rywogaethau o blanhigion yn y Dyffryn, gan gynnwys planhigion fasgwlaidd (planhigion blodeuol a rhedyn) a chasgliad cyfoethog o fryoffytau (oddeutu 90 o rywogaethau). Mae’r afon yn gynefin pwysig ar gyfer Bronwen y Dŵr a’r Siglen Lwyd ac ambell Las y Dorlan, sydd i’w gweld yn gyffredin o’r prif lwybr mynediad. Mae’r baw dyfrgi a welir ar greigiau ar lan yr afon yn arwydd bod Dyfrgwn yn defnyddio’r safle hefyd. Mae’r creigiau gwlyb ar y glannau’n cynnal amrywiaeth o fryoffytau, gan gynnwys rhywogaethau cyffredin, amlwg fel y Ffrydlys Cyffredin, yr Afuad Mawr Pêr, y Dyfrfwsogl Mawr a’r plufwsogl Hyocomium armoricum , yn ogystal â rhywogaethau sydd i’w canfod yn anfynych ar lefel genedlaethol megis Fissidens rufulus , Schistidium platyphyllum a’r Fforchfwsogl Melynaidd . Prif nodwedd y coetir ar lannau’r afon yw coed Gwern, ynghyd â choed Ynn a Llwyfennau Llydanddail amlwg mewn mannau. Mae’n werth nodi bod nifer o rywogaethau dangosol coetir hynafol yn amlwg yma, megis Clychau’r Gog, Clust yr Arth, y Farddanhadlen Felen a Blodyn y Gwynt. Ymhlith y rhywogaethau eraill amlwg mae’r Hesgen Blodau Anghyfagos, yr Hesgen Bendrom, y Goedfrwynen Fawr a’r Eglyn Cyferbynddail. Derw Mes Di-goes yw nodwedd amlycaf y coetir ar lethrau serth y dyffryn, ond mae coed Bedw, Ynn, Sycamorwydd, Celyn, Criafol, Ffawydd ac ychydig o goed Cyll yma hefyd. Nid yw’r Sycamorwydd na’r Ffawydd yn frodorol i’r Dyffryn, ond cynrychiolir y ddwy rywogaeth gan rai coed llawn dwf mawr. Mae’r rhywogaethau yn yr haen lysiau yma yn cynnwys Suran y Coed, Llysiau Steffan, Clychau’r Gog ac amrywiaeth o rywogaethau o redyn. Mae’r Saetslys Palfog, sef math o lys yr afu sy’n anghyffredin yn ne Cymru, i’w ganfod ar foncyffion dirisgl yn y dyffryn. Mae’r coetir ar ochr ddwyreiniol y dyffryn, ger (ac uwchben) rhaeadr Gelligron yn cynnal Gwibredyn toreithiog a chlystyrau deniadol o Farchrawn y Coed. Ceir gweirdir helaeth o Farchrawn y Coed ar dir uwchben y rhaeadr lle ceir poblogaeth o’r Gliniogai hefyd. Mae diwedd y gwanwyn a dechrau’r haf yn amser da i ymweld â Dyffryn Cwm Du pan fydd modd gweld a chlywed ein holl adar coetir cyffredin, ynghyd â rhai adar mudol nodedig, megis Telor y Coed a’r Gwybedog Mannog. Mae Dyffryn Cwm Du yn cynnal cynefinoedd sy’n addas ar gyfer ystlumod sy’n clwydo ac mae’r safle cyfan yn cynnig cyfleoedd bwydo rhagorol. Cafodd rhai gwyfynod sy’n brin ar lefel genedlaethol, megis Crych Blomer a’r Wensgod Fawr, eu cofnodi gan Grŵp Cofnodi Gwyfynod Morgannwg yn Nyffryn Cwm Du yn 2002. Mae’r Wensgod Fawr, sy’n rhywogaeth â blaenoriaeth yn y Cynllun Gweithredu Bioamrywiaeth, yn dibynnu ar y Llwyfenni Llydanddail sy’n tyfu yn y Dyffryn. Mae gwyfynod eraill ag arwyddocâd lleol a gofnodwyd yn Nyffryn Cwm Du yn cynnwys y Seffyr Sgolpiog, yr Adain Ddeifiog, Gwalch-wyfyn Bach Helyglys, y Bidog Yswydd a Thrwynog y Rhos. Gallery Previous Next

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. < Back 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. Mae glaswelltiroedd corsiog cyfoethog eu rhywogaethau wedi dioddef yn enbyd yng Nghymru o ganlyniad i welliannau amaethyddol, plannu coedwigoedd conifferau, datblygu, rheolaeth amhriodol ac esgeulustod, ac ychydig iawn o enghreifftiau da o’r cynefin eithriadol bwysig hwn sydd ar ôl yn CNPT, gwaetha’r modd. Fodd bynnag, mae rhai rhannau o sector gogledd y sir, yn enwedig yng Nghwm Dulais a Dyffryn Aman, yn dal i gynnwys glaswelltiroedd corsiog sy’n cynnal cymunedau bioamrywiol pwysig. Between Crynant and Banwen a number of grazed marshy fields have survived against all the odds. In several of them there are populations of Petty Whin, Dyers Greenweed and Saw-wort, all of which have declined greatly in the county over the last 50 years. A few marshy fields in the vicinity of Blaendulais (Seven Sisters) are notable for their Marsh Fritillary colonies, which are monitored carefully by Butterfly Conservation and volunteers every year. An exemplary, pony-grazed field near Seven Sisters Rugby Club supports one of the most diverse marshy grassland flora in NPT. Species there include Devil’s-bit Scabious, Fen Bedstraw, Heath spotted-orchid, Butterwort, Marsh Valerian, Marsh Lousewort, Marsh Arrow-grass, Meadow Thistle, Whorled Caraway, Large-flowered Eyebright, Bog Pimpernel, Bog Asphodel, Creeping Forget-me-not, Tall Thyme-moss and Intermediate Hook-moss. Fen Bedstraw is a very scarce species in south Wales and its occurrence here is very significant. So too are the occurrences of Meadow Thistle, Marsh Lousewort and Butterwort, all of which have limited distributions in the county. The widespread occurrence of Devil’s-bit Scabious in these meadows, in addition to their local connectivity and the presence in them of a diverse selection of nectar producing plants suitable for butterflies, has created conditions favourable for Marsh Fritillary meta-populations. The recovery of marshy grassland habitats in clear-felled Sitka Spruce coupes has also been successful in the Dulais Valley and this could open the way for a wider recovery of this endangered habitat in NPT. Identifying, protecting and maintaining these habitats in a favourable condition is a crucial challenge for NPT’s nature recovery action plan. An important part of this will be the implementation of effective, sympathetic grazing regimes and the education of local communities and all concerned about the value of this endangered habitat in the county. Rhwng y Creunant a’r Banwen, mae nifer o gaeau pori corsiog wedi goroesi er gwaethaf pawb a phopeth. Mewn nifer ohonynt ceir poblogaethau o Gracheithin, Melynog y Waun a Dant y Pysgodyn, sydd i gyd wedi prinhau’n sylweddol yn y sir yn ystod y 50 mlynedd diwethaf. Mae’n werth nodi bod cytrefi o Fritheg y Gors mewn ychydig o gaeau corsiog yng nghyffiniau Blaendulais, ac mae’r rhain yn cael eu monitro’n ofalus gan Gadwraeth Gloÿnnod Byw a gwirfoddolwyr bob blwyddyn. Enghraifft ragorol o hyn yw cae lle mae merlod yn pori ger Clwb Rygbi Blaendulais sy’n cynnal un o’r casgliadau mwyaf amrywiol o fflora glaswelltir corsiog yn CNPT. Ymhlith y rhywogaethau sydd i’w canfod yno mae Tamaid y Cythraul, Briwydd y Fign, Tegeirian Brych y Rhos, Tafod y Gors, Triaglog y Gors, Melog y Waun, Saethbennig y Gors, Ysgallen y Ddôl, y Garwy Droellennog, Effros Blodau Mawr, Gwlyddyn-Mair y Gors, Llafn y Bladur, y Sgorpionllys Ymlusgol, a mwsoglau Plagiomnium elatum a Scorpidium cossonii . Mae Briwydd y Fign yn rhywogaeth brin iawn yn ne Cymru ac felly mae ei phresenoldeb yma yn arwyddocaol iawn, fel y mae presenoldeb Ysgallen y Ddôl, Melog y Waun a Thafod y Gors, y mae dosbarthiad pob un ohonynt yn gyfyngedig yn y sir. Mae’r ffaith fod Tamaid y Cythraul yn tyfu’n helaeth yn y dolydd hyn, ynghyd â chysylltedd lleol y dolydd a’r amrywiaeth o blanhigion sy’n cynhyrchu neithdar addas ar gyfer gloÿnnod byw, a geir ynddynt yn darparu amodau ffafriol ar gyfer metaboblogaethau o Fritheg y Gors. Hefyd, mae adfer cynefinoedd glaswelltir corsiog mewn llanerchau lle cafodd coed Sbriws Sitka eu llwyrgwympo wedi bod yn llwyddiannus yng Nghwm Dulais a gallai hyn arwain at adferiad ehangach y cynefin hwn sydd mewn perygl yn CNPT. Bydd adnabod, amddiffyn a chadw’r cynefinoedd hyn mewn cyflwr ffafriol yn her allweddol o ran cynllun gweithredu adfer natur CNPT. Rhan bwysig o’r gwaith hwn fydd cyflwyno cyfundrefnau pori cydnaws ac effeithiol a dysgu cymunedau lleol a phawb sy’n ymwneud â nhw am werth y cynefin hwn sydd mewn perygl yn y sir. Gallery Previous Next

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. < Back 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. Camlas Nedd yw’r gamlas hiraf yn CNPT ac mae’n ymestyn o Lansawel i Lyn-nedd ym Mro Nedd, gan ddilyn cyfeiriad afon Nedd i bob pwrpas, a’i chroesi ar hyd dyfrbont fach ger y Clun. It can be accessed easily from many points in the valley, such as Giant’s Grave, Melyn, Bridge Street (Neath), Cadoxton, Aberdulais, Resolven and Aberpergwm. In most places the tow paths allow easy walking, and for much of its length the canal supports a diverse flora and fauna which are easy to observe. However, some parts of the canal between Aberdulais and Resolven are in poor condition and the towpath is less accessible. A walk along the Neath Canal is rewarding at any time of year but it is particularly good for wildlife viewing in spring and summer. The stretch between Giants Grave and Neath is particularly good with colourful flowering plants such as Greater Spearwort, Common Valerian, Great Willowherb, Water Forget-me-not, Yellow Loosestrife, Purple Loosestrife and Meadowsweet. Otter are sometimes seen here early in the morning and Heron and Kingfisher are frequently encountered. Where there are banks of reeds the metronomic song of the Reed Warbler or the sudden burst of song from a Cetti’s Warbler is a common sound in spring and summer. Virtually all the common British damselflies and dragonflies are found along the canal, with spectacular displays in summer from the large and handsome Emperor Dragonflies patrolling their territories. Where the canal is shaded by trees, particularly between Tonna and Resolven, you may come across small groups of Beautiful Demoiselles. Dipper and Grey Wagtail are occasionally seen along the stretch between Tonna and Clyne, where you may also be lucky to see a pair of Mandarin Duck. Moorhen are common everywhere and are often seen scuttling across the large floating leaves of Yellow Waterlily which dominate much of surface water between Briton Ferry and Neath. Other aquatics such as Broad-leaved Pondweed, Curled Pondweed, Water Starworts, Spiked Water-milfoil, Rigid and Soft Hornwort, Ivy-leaved Duckweed and Unbranched Bur-reed are also common. Quiet observation of the water usually reveals the presence of fish such as Perch, Roach, Tench and Pike. In recent years, non-native terrapins have increased significantly and they can sometimes be seen basking out of the water in the canal near Giant’s Grave. Mae modd cyrraedd y gamlas yn hwylus o sawl man yn y cwm, megis Bedd y Cawr, Melyn, Stryd y Bont (Castell-nedd), Llangatwg, Aberdulais, Resolfen ac Aberpergwm. Yn y rhan fwyaf o fannau, mae’r llwybrau halio yn cynnig llwybr hawdd i gerddwyr ac mae’r gamlas, bron ar hyd-ddi, yn cynnal fflora a ffawna amrywiol sy’n hawdd eu gweld. Fodd bynnag, mae rhannau o’r gamlas rhwng Aberdulais a Resolfen mewn cyflwr gwael ac nid yw’r llwybr halio mor hawdd ei ddefnyddio. Mae’n werth cerdded ar hyd Camlas Nedd ar unrhyw adeg o’r flwyddyn ond mae cyfleoedd arbennig o dda i wylio bywyd gwyllt yn ystod y gwanwyn a’r haf. Mae’r rhan o’r gamlas rhwng Bedd y Cawr a Chastell-nedd yn arbennig o dda gyda phlanhigion blodeuol lliwgar megis y Llafnlys Mawr, Triaglog, Helyglys Pêr, Sgorpionllys y Gors, Trewyn, Llysiau’r-milwr Coch a’r Erwain. Gwelir dyfrgwn yma weithiau yn gynnar yn y bore ac mae’r Crëyr Glas a Glas y Dorlan i’w gweld yn aml. Yn y gwanwyn a’r haf, mae’n gyffredin clywed Telor y Cyrs neu Delor Cetti yn taro cân sydyn o’r gwelyau cyrs. Mae bron pob un o fursennod a gweision neidr cyffredin Prydain i’w canfod ar hyd y gamlas ac yn yr haf, gwelir gweision neidr hardd yr Ymerawdwr yn creu arddangosfeydd trawiadol wrth batrolio’u tiriogaeth. Yng nghysgod y coed, yn enwedig rhwng Tonna a Resolfen, fe allech ddod ar draws grwpiau bach o Forwynion Tywyll ar y gamlas. Gwelir Bronwen y Dŵr a’r Siglen Lwyd o bryd i’w gilydd ar y darn o’r gamlas rhwng Tonna a’r Clun, lle gallech fod yn ddigon ffodus o weld pâr o Hwyaid Mandarin. Mae Ieir Dŵr yn gyffredin ym mhobman ac i’w gweld yn aml yn sgrialu dros ddail mawr Lili’r-dŵr Felen sy’n nodwedd amlwg ar wyneb y dŵr rhwng Llansawel a Chastell-nedd. Mae rhywogaethau dyfrol eraill, megis y Dyfrllys Llydanddail, y Dyfrllys Crych, y Briglwydd, Myrdd-ddail Ysbigog, Cyrnddail Caled a Chyrnddail Meddal, Llinad Dail Eiddew a’r Cleddlys Di-gainc hefyd yn gyffredin. Fel arfer, mae modd gweld pysgod fel Draenogiaid, Rhufellod, Ysgretennod a Phenhwyaid trwy syllu’n dawel ar y dŵr. Yn y blynyddoedd diwethaf, mae nifer y terapiniaid anfrodorol wedi cynyddu’n sylweddol ac weithiau gellir eu gweld yn torheulo allan o’r dŵr ar y gamlas ger Bedd y Cawr. Gallery Previous Next

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. < Back 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. O ganlyniad i newidiadau mewn arferion amaethu, moderneiddio a datblygu, mae glaswelltiroedd mesotroffig cyfoethog eu rhywogaethau, megis gweirgloddiau traddodiadol, bellach yn brin iawn yn CNPT ac yn adnodd sy’n prinhau yng Nghymru yn gyffredinol. O’u rheoli’n gywir, gall lleiniau ymyl ffordd gyflawni rôl debyg o ran bioamrywiaeth ac er nad ydynt yn ateb perffaith, maen nhw’n dod yn noddfa bwysig i blanhigion glaswelltir a’r pryfed sy’n byw ynddynt. Good examples in NPT include the verges along the A483 near Jersey Marine and Earlswood, the verges along Central Avenue near the Quays, the verges along Harbour Way near Margam and the Saltings Roundabout near Neath Abbey. In all these places, species like Ox-eye Daisy, Common Knapweed, Common Vetch, Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Red Clover and Meadow Buttercup make up colourful communities that are important resources for pollinators like bees, butterflies and hoverflies, as well as hosts of other insects such as beetles and grasshoppers. Of interest too is the increasing occurrence of salt-tolerant species like Danish Scurvey-grass, Lesser Sea-spurrey and Stag’s-horn Plantain along the edges of these verges. These species are typical of saltmarsh grasslands, but they have colonised roadside verge edges that have become enriched with salt from gritting in winter. Huge amounts of Danish Scurvy-grass appear along the A465 near Jersey Marine where the white and pale lilac flowers provide spectacular displays of spring colour. Other notable features of our verges include the outstanding display of Cowslips which occur on the Saltings Roundabout. More than 100 species of grassland plants grow here and include small amounts of the attractive Pyramidal Orchid. The species-rich verge along the A483 near Jersey Marine has very conspicuous populations of Ox-eye Daisy and Bulbous Buttercup as well as occasional stands of Bee Orchid and Greater Burnet. Downy Oat-grass and Yellow Oat-grass occur among the more common False Oat-grass, Yorkshire Fog and Cock’s-foot. Both are comparatively uncommon in NPT but benefit from the calcareous sand that is found in the soils of our coastal verges. Mae’r enghreifftiau da yn CNPT yn cynnwys y lleiniau ar ymyl yr A483 ger Jersey Marine ac Earlswood, y lleiniau ar hyd y Rhodfa Ganolog ger y Ceiau, ymylon Ffordd yr Harbwr ger Margam a Chylchfan Saltings ger Mynachlog Nedd Yn yr holl fannau hyn, mae rhywogaethau megis y Llygad-llo Mawr, y Bengaled, y Ffacbysen, Pysen-y-ceirw, y Feillionnen Goch a Chrafanc Brân y Gweunydd yn ffurfio cymunedau lliwgar sy’n adnoddau pwysig ar gyfer pryfed peillio fel gwenyn, gloÿnnod byw a phryfed hofran, yn ogystal â llawer o bryfed eraill, megis chwilod a cheiliogod y rhedyn. Mae’n ddiddorol nodi hefyd bod rhywogaethau sy’n gallu goddef halen, fel Llwylys Denmarc, y Troellig Arfor Bach a Llyriad Corn y Carw i’w gweld fwyfwy ar ymylon y lleiniau hyn. Mae’r rhywogaethau hyn yn nodweddiadol o laswelltiroedd morfa heli, ond maen nhw wedi cytrefu ochrau’r lleiniau ymyl ffordd sydd wedi cael eu cyfoethogi gan halen yn sgîl gwaith graeanu dros y gaeaf. Mae niferoedd mawr iawn o Lwylys Denmarc yn ymddangos ar hyd yr A465 ger Jersey Marine lle mae’r blodau gwyn a lliw lelog gwan yn ffurfio sioe drawiadol o liwgar yn y gwanwyn. Nodweddion eraill y lleiniau ymyl ffordd sy’n werth eu nodi yw’r arddangosfa wych o Friallu Mair a geir ar Gylchfan Saltings. Mae mwy na 100 o rywogaethau o blanhigion glaswelltir yn tyfu yma, gan gynnwys nifer bach o’r Tegeirian Bera sydd mor ddeniadol. Mae gan y llain gyfoethog ei rhywogaethau ar ymyl yr A483 ger Jersey Marine boblogaethau amlwg iawn o Lygaid-llo Mawr a Blodyn Ymenyn Bondew ynghyd ag ambell stribyn o Degeirian y Wenynen a’r Bwrned Mawr. Gwelir y Ceirchwellt Blewog a’r Ceirchwellt Melyn yn tyfu ymysg y Ceirchwellt Tal, y Maswellt Penwyn a Throed y Ceiliog sy’n fwy cyffredin. Mae’r ddwy rywogaeth hyn sy’n gymharol anghyffredin yn CNPT yn manteisio ar y tywod calchaidd sydd ym mhriddoedd ein lleiniau ymyl ffordd arfordirol. Mae banciau o ymylon llawn blodau ar hyd y Rhodfa Ganolog, yn enwedig yn ymyl y draphont ger y rheilffordd. Mae llawer iawn o blanhigion Plucen Felen, sef bwyd y Glesyn Bach, yma gyda Phig-yr-aran y Gwrych, y Friwydd Felen, Briwydd y Clawdd, Arian y Gwair, Tafod y Llew, y Llygad Doli, yr Ytbysen Feinddail a nifer o rai eraill. Gwelir sioe debyg ar hyd ymylon Ffordd yr Harbwr yn yr haf, lle ceir hefyd boblogaeth hynod o’r Gorfanhadlen Walchlys sy’n parasiteiddio ar Dafod y Llew yno. Mae hon yn rhywogaeth brin iawn ym Mhrydain a’r poblogaethau yn CNPT yw’r unig rai yng Nghymru. Caiff lleiniau ymyl ffordd CNPT eu rheoli fwyfwy er mwyn gwella eu hamrywiaeth o flodau gwyllt a phryfed peillio yn unol â chynllun Caru Gwenyn CNPT (gweler Caru Gwenyn CNPT). Gallery Previous Next

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. < Back 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. Mae Ystâd y Gnoll, a fu’n gartref i deulu entrepreneuraidd Mackworth yn y ddeunawfed ganrif, ar safle amlwg sy’n edrych dros ganol tref Castell-nedd. Gyda thirwedd goediog, 4 llyn a glaswelltir eang, mae’r parc heddiw yn fan gwyrdd trefol sy’n adnodd pwysig ac yn gyrchfan poblogaidd i breswylwyr ac ymwelwyr â’r dref. Mae digonedd o fywyd gwyllt i’w gweld yma ar bob adeg o’r flwyddyn. Vehicle access to the Gnoll is easiest from the Fairyland entrance which takes you to a large pay and display car park and the nearby Visitor Centre. Alternatively, it can also be walked from Neath Town Centre, walking through the memorial gate and past the lower pond. From the Visitor Centre you can take a leisurely walk around the large lake (the second pond) and a number of paths and trails from there will take you into the heart of the impressive Beech woods. There is plenty to keep young families interested, with the avenue of Horse Chestnut providing a plentiful supply of ‘conkers’ along the route to the old Mackworth House; the hollow Oak, surviving decades of children clambering around its hollow trunk and the plentiful clumps of frogspawn and tadpoles found throughout the many ponds and ditches in the Park. The lake always has lots of wildfowl, including Mute Swan, Coot, Moorhen, Little Grebe, Mallard, Tufted Duck and Goosander. On quiet mornings you may also see a Water Rail, a Heron or a Kingfisher and in spring there are usually occasional sightings of Common Sandpiper along the edges of the lake. A grassy bank on the southern perimeter of the lake usually has a spectacular display of Southern Marsh-orchids in early summer. At any time of year you may see Red Kite soaring above your head. There are several magnificent specimen trees in the Beech woods, many of which must have been planted as part of the original Mackworth Estate. There is also lots of Hornbeam and smaller amounts of Norway Maple here and although none of these are native trees in this part of Wales, they provide an impressive woodland environment nonetheless. In autumn, woodland fungi such as the Wood Hedgehog, the Miller and the beautiful Orange Grisette can be found on the woodland floor, and in winter, flocks of Chaffinch with small groups of Brambling forage there for beech mast. Later in spring, Nuthatch can be heard whistling in the canopy while Greater Spotted Woodpecker drum on resonant tree trunks. Chiffchaff and Wood Warbler are among the summer migrants that breed here. Fragments of ancient oak woodland still survive in the Dingle along Preswylfa Brook and in Mosshouse Wood, where Silver-washed Fritillary butterflies are occasional in summer and Purple Hairstreaks fly high in the woodland canopy. Spring displays of Bluebell can be impressive in these places, and you may also find other ancient woodland indicators such as Wood Anemone, Woodruff and Yellow Archangel. The little brooks and streams in these valleys are good places to look out for Grey Wagtail and Dipper. From the Visitor Centre, there is an enjoyable walk to the upper Mosshouse lake, a disused reservoir surrounded by a quiet woodland bisected by an impressive, man-made cascade. Look out for Spotted Flycatcher hereabouts and listen out for trilling Wood Warbler. Pied Flycatcher have bred here in past years but have not been seen recently. En route to the old reservoir you will pass an area thick with birch and willow that has replaced a small plantation of Western Hemlock which was clear-felled not so long ago. The plot is quickly reverting back to deciduous woodland and is usually alive with birdsong from Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcap and Garden Warbler in late spring. Bats are particularly active on warm summer nights around the second pond where there are roosts of Noctule and Daubenton’s bats. They are undoubtedly attracted by the large numbers of moths that fly at these times. Moth traps usually pick up a diversity of species in the park, which have included the uncommon Alder Kitten and Chocolate Tip, as well as larger, spectacular, hawkmoth species. Y ffordd fwyaf hwylus i gerbydau gyrraedd y Gnoll yw trwy fynedfa Fairyland sy’n mynd â chi i faes parcio talu ac arddangos helaeth a’r Ganolfan Ymwelwyr gerllaw. Fel arall, mae modd cerdded yno o ganol tref Castell-nedd, gan fynd trwy’r porth coffa a heibio i’r pwll isaf. O’r Ganolfan Ymwelwyr, gallwch gerdded yn hamddenol o amgylch y llyn mawr (yr ail bwll) lle bydd nifer o lwybrau yn eich arwain oddi yno i ganol y goedwig Ffawydd drawiadol. Mae digon o bethau i gynnal diddordeb teuluoedd ifanc, gyda rhodfa Castanwydd y Meirch sy’n darparu digonedd o ‘goncyrs’ ar hyd y ffordd at hen Dŷ Mackworth; y Dderwen geubren, sydd wedi goroesi degawdau o blant yn dringo drosti a’r clympiau helaeth o grifft broga a phenbyliaid sydd yn y pyllau a’r ffosydd niferus yn y Parc. Mae llawer o adar gwyllt ar y llyn bob amser, gan gynnwys Elyrch Dof, Cwtieir, Ieir Dŵr, Gwyachod Bach, Hwyaid Gwyllt, Hwyaid Copog a Hwyaid Danheddog. Ar foreau tawel fe allech chi hefyd weld Rhegen Ddŵr, Crëyr Glas neu Las y Dorlan ac yn y gwanwyn fel arfer, mae’n gyffredin gweld ambell Bibydd y Dorlan ar lan y llyn. Fel arfer, mae arddangosfa ysblennydd o Degeiriannau’r-gors Deheuol i’w gweld ar fancyn glas ar berimedr deheuol y llyn ar ddechrau’r haf. Gallech weld Barcud Coch yn hedfan uwch eich pen ar unrhyw adeg o’r flwyddyn. Mae nifer o goed enghreifftiol ardderchog yn y goedwig Ffawydd, a gafodd eu plannu, mae’n siŵr, fel rhan o Ystâd wreiddiol Mackworth. Hefyd, mae llawer o Oestrwydd a nifer llai o Fasarn Norwy yma ac er nad yw’r rhain yn goed brodorol yn y rhan hon o Gymru, maen nhw’n darparu amgylchedd coetir trawiadol serch hynny. Yn yr hydref, mae ffyngau coetir megis Pigau Draenog y Coed, Cap y Melinydd a’r Amanita Benfelen hardd ar lawr y coetir ac yn y gaeaf, mae heidiau o Ji-bincod ynghyd â grwpiau llai o Bincod y Mynydd yn fforio am gnau ffawydd yno. Yn hwyrach yn y gwanwyn, clywir Telor y Cnau yn chwibanu yn y canopi wrth i’r Gnocell Fraith Fawr guro ar foncyffion coed atseiniol. Mae’r Siff Siaff a Thelor y Coed ymhlith y mudwyr haf sy’n bridio yma. Mae darnau o goetir derw hynafol yn dal i oroesi yn y Ceunant (Dingle) ar lan Nant Preswylfa ac yng Nghoed Mosshouse, lle gwelir ambell Frith Arian yn yr haf a lle mae Brithribiniau Porffor yn hedfan fry yng nghanopi’r coetir. Mae Clychau’r Gog yn drawiadol yn y mannau hyn a gallech hefyd weld rhai dangosyddion coetir hynafol eraill megis Blodyn y Gwynt, y Friwydd Bêr a’r Farddanhadlen Felen. Mae’r nentydd bach yn y dyffrynnoedd hyn yn fannau da i weld y Siglen Lwyd a Bronwen y Dŵr. O’r Ganolfan Ymwelwyr, mae’n braf mynd am dro at lyn uchaf Mosshouse, sef hen gronfa ddŵr nas defnyddir sydd wedi’i hamgylchynu gan goetir tawel sydd wedi’i hollti gan raeadr ffug sylweddol ei maint. Edrychwch am Wybedog Mannog yma a gwrandewch ar drydar Telor y Coed. Bu’r Gwybedog Brith yn bridio yma yn y gorffennol ond nis gwelwyd yn ddiweddar. Ar eich ffordd at yr hen gronfa ddŵr, byddwch yn mynd heibio i ardal lle mae trwch o goed bedw a helyg wedi cymryd lle planhigfa fach o Hemlog y Gorllewin a gafodd ei llwyrgwympo yn weddol ddiweddar. Mae coetir collddail yn ailddatblygu’n gyflym ar y llain lle mae cân Telor yr Helyg, y Llwydfron, y Telor Penddu a Thelor yr Ardd yn llenwi’r lle tuag at ddiwedd y gwanwyn. Ar nosweithiau cynnes o haf, bydd ystlumod yn arbennig o brysur o gwmpas yr ail bwll lle mae Ystlumod Mawr ac Ystlumod y Dŵr yn clwydo. Mae’n siŵr eu bod nhw’n cael eu denu gan y niferoedd mawr o wyfynod sy’n hedfan ar yr adegau hyn. Mae trapiau gwyfynod fel arfer yn dal amrywiaeth o rywogaethau yn y parc, sydd wedi cynnwys rhywogaethau anghyffredin Cathan y Gwernos a’r Blaen Brown, yn ogystal â rhywogaethau o walchwyfynod trawiadol a mwy o faint. Gallery Previous Next

All Posts Search nptlnp May 31 1 min Return of the Ponds at Gnoll Country Park! Visitors to Gnoll Country Park may have noticed the transformation of a wetland area of the park. Over the last 15 years, the ponds that... 1 view 0 comments Post not marked as liked nptlnp May 16 1 min Margam Country Park - A paradise for bats! 🦇 In the UK, we have 18 native species of bat and at Margam Park, we are fortunate enough to have 14 species. Margam Castle is one of the... 3 views 0 comments Post not marked as liked nptlnp Apr 4 1 min It's their future: why you should care about nature in NPT We asked pupils from Cefn Saeson Comprehensive School their thoughts about nature in the county. This is what they had to say. Find out... 22 views 0 comments Post not marked as liked nptlnp Mar 6 2 min 🌻 Nature Unearthed; the launch of the State of Nature and Nature Recovery Action Plan for Neath Port Talbot 🦋 We were overwhelmed by the support for the launch of ‘The State of Nature and Nature Recovery Action Plan for Neath Port Talbot’ at the... 16 views 0 comments Post not marked as liked

Search Results All (201) Events (155) Blog Posts (4) Other Pages (42) 201 items found for "" Events (155) Marsh Fritillary Talk 22 August 2024 | 18:00 Lost Peatlands Volunteer Day - Tree Removal and Sphagnum Planting - Pen Y Cymoedd Windfarm 27 August 2024 | 09:00 c/o Vattenfall, Hwb Pen y Cymoedd, Treorchy CF42 5SX, UK Living Wall Training & Launch - Hyfforddiant ar gyfer creu wal werdd @ The Harlequins 28 August 2024 | 17:00 Harlequin Rd, Port Talbot SA12 6UP, UK View All Blog Posts (4) Return of the Ponds at Gnoll Country Park! Visitors to Gnoll Country Park may have noticed the transformation of a wetland area of the park. Over the last 15 years, the ponds that could once be found here have become overgrown and were all but gone. This was a problem for the amphibians that used to breed here and the other pond life that called this area home. This year, the Friends of Gnoll Park successfully applied to the NPT LNP Grant Fund to restore these ponds. With the help of a mini digger and plenty of elbow grease from the Friends of Gnoll Park, the ponds are now restored! The ponds are specially designed to have plenty of shallow sloping areas, where the most plant and animal life is usually found in ponds. The surrounding grassy habitat provides space for animals to live when they are not in the ponds. The wetland area is now back to being a haven for nature in the Park and tadpoles have already been spotted making the most of the restored area. Let's give a round of applause to the Friends of Gnoll Park for their dedication and teamwork! The NPT LNP Grant Fund is made possible by the Welsh Government Local Places for Nature fund. Margam Country Park - A paradise for bats! 🦇 In the UK, we have 18 native species of bat and at Margam Park, we are fortunate enough to have 14 species. Margam Castle is one of the most important buildings for bats in the whole of Wales. Margam Castle and the surrounding parkland has a fantastic range of habitats that benefit bats, including woodlands, water bodies, open tracts of land and a variety of lochs suitable for a number of species. This captivating video from the wildlife team at NPT Council takes you deep into the heart of Margam Park, where you'll see first-hand the magical flight of these elusive creatures. From the least common bat to the least soprano bat and beyond, explore the diverse species that call this beautiful landscape home. If you would like to know more or have any questions about bats, get in touch with the team at biodiversity@npt.gov.uk Would you like to join us for a bat walk? Keep an eye on the What's On page. It's their future: why you should care about nature in NPT We asked pupils from Cefn Saeson Comprehensive School their thoughts about nature in the county. This is what they had to say. Find out more about how you can help nature in NPT at www.naturenpt.cymru View All Other Pages (42) How can you help? | Neath Port Talbot Nature | NPT LNP How can you help? This site outlines how we can all take action for nature in NPT. NPT Local Nature Partnership members work hard to help nature recover in NPT but it doesn't have to stop there. Nature conservation begins at home and there are steps we can all take, wherever or whoever we are, to help preserve the natural heritage of NPT. In addition to the habitat actions, we have suggested actions here that we, as individuals, could take to help improve the State of Nature in NPT. Take a look at the action plans and see what you could do to help. If you'd like any further information or have any questions about any of the actions, get in touch . In the Community At School At Work In the Garden Join NPT for Nature Volunteer Opportunities Volunteer Opportunities in NPT Below are some of the current volunteer opportunities in NPT - if you like the sound of one, click the link to find out more. Afan Environment Volunteers Work days on 1st Wednesday of the month in the Afan Valley, including habitat management and wildlife surveys. Learn more. Bryncoch Environment Group Nature activities in the locality of Bryncoch, including toad patrols and litter picks. Learn more. Crymlyn Burrows Rare plant monitoring, beach cleans, invasive species control. Keep an eye out for upcoming events here . Learn more. Friends of Craig Gwladus Volunteer work parties and events at Craig Gwladus Country Park. Learn more. Glamorgan Bat Group Bat surveys and research, affiliated with Bat Conservation Trust. Learn more. Lost Peatlands Wildlife surveys, assisting with conservation tasks and supporting at events. Learn more. Afan Angling and Conservation Club Management of the River Afan, including works to remove barriers to fish migration. Learn more. Bryn Residents Action Group (BRAG) Work parties in and around the village of Bryn, including Bryn Tip LNR. Learn more. Coed Cadw Woodland management activities at Woodland Trust woodlands in the county. Learn more. Friends of Gnoll Country Park Volunteer work parties and events at Gnoll Country Park. Learn more. Gower Ornithological Society Bird-focussed walks, talks and surveys in Swansea and NPT. Learn more. Working with Nature NPT Nature activities and volunteering across NPT. Learn more. Buglife B-Lines The NPT B-lines project aims to address the decline in our pollinating insects by creating a network of B-lines linking wildflower-rich habitats across NPT Learn more. Butterfly Conservation Marsh Fritillary surveys and habitat management in locality of the Dulais valley. Learn more. Coed Lleol Workshops and volunteering at sites across NPT Learn more. Friends of Jersey Park Volunteer work parties and events at Jersey Park. Learn more. NPT Wildlife A place to find out about wildlife and nature in Neath Port Talbot. Learn more. IN THE COMMUNITY Are you passionate about helping your community become a better place for people and nature? Below are a few ideas for you. Join the NPT for Nature Group NPT for Nature is a sub-group of NPT Local Nature Partnership which meets every three months. The aim of the group is to provide advice and guidance for actions that you and your local community could do to help your nature neighbours. Join us to get ideas and inspiration, from butterfly surveys to meadow management. NPT Bee Friendly Streets Could you work with your neighbours to create a Bee Friendly Street? NPT Council have produced a guide to help you transform your front gardens, window boxes, shop fronts and communal spaces to encourage pollinators to visit and live on your street. Contact the team to learn more. Balsam Bash In the summer months, the invasive non-native species Himalayan Balsam appears along our rivers. Whilst undoubtedly a beautiful plant, it is a threat to our habitats, quickly out-competing native plant species to become the dominant vegetation over large areas. You can help to protect vulnerable habitats by organising community balsam bashes. Balsam bashing (pulling up the plant by its roots, or bashing it down) is surprisingly mindful and easy! Hedgehog Highways One of the biggest threats to hedgehogs in NPT is isolation from other hedgehogs by fences, walls and busy roads. You could help the hedgehogs in your neighbourhood by working with your neighbours to create a 'Hedgehog Highway'- all it takes is the creation of a small hole in your garden fence! There is lots of information on how this could be achieved here hedgehogstreet.org AT SCHOOL Are you a parent or educator looking to engage children with nature in NPT? Below is a list of actions which you could take to get involved with NPT Nature Partnership projects and help the nature of NPT. NPT Bee Friendly- Nature on the Verge You can help NPT Council to manage verges and grasslands for wildflowers by monitoring areas in your ward to help us to determine if our management is working. We have a number of suggested classroom and outdoor activities that you could do to get the children involved and help us learn how healthy the grassland is. Contact the team to find your nearest NPT Bee Friendly site. NPT Bee Friendly- In the School Grounds Is there an area in your school grounds which is underused? Could you create a wildflower meadow or grassland there? This is a great project for all ages to get involved with, from doing surveys to see what plant species are present and monitoring pollinators to creating posters that tell people about your meadow. All you need to do is identify your area, stop mowing between April and August and very importantly, removing the cut material to compost so that soil nutrients are kept low. Edge cuts will maintain a neat appearance and signage, explaining what you are doing and why, helps to spread the message. The Lost Peatlands of South Wales Did you know that peatlands (peat bogs) store twice as much carbon as forests? And that we have lots of this special habitat in NPT? The Lost Peatlands Project is running until 2025 and is working to restore a large expanse of peatland in the uplands of NPT and RCT. Your school could do a project to learn more about peatlands or even have its own bog garden! Contact the team to find out more. SOS - Save our Swifts The amazing, screaming Swift is a summer visitor to NPT but, sadly, numbers of this red-listed bird are declining everywhere in Wales. This decline is thought to be due in part to the loss of nesting sites as buildings are renovated to modern standards. The provision of nest boxes or integral Swift bricks in suitable buildings may help to reverse this trend. Could you provide nest boxes for Swifts (or other house nesting birds like House Martins) on your school buildings? They need to be placed 5m above the ground with a clear flight path into the box. You can increase the chances of Swifts finding the boxes by playing the call of screaming Swifts to lure them in! Please tell us if you have Swifts nesting in your roof space. AT WORK Are you a business looking to take action for your environmental and social responsibilities? There are a number of ways you can do your bit to help nature in NPT. Support a NPT Local Nature Partnership Project The LNP has projects which you could get involved with, through funding or volunteering. For example, Runtech recently supported the LNP by undertaking a team building day removing invasive Himalayan Balsam at Bryn Tip Local Nature Reserve. If you’d like to find out more about how you could help, get in touch . NPT Bee Friendly - On your grounds Do you manage any verges or other green spaces? Why not start managing them as wildflower verges? Simply changing the time you cut the grass can have a big impact on verge biodiversity. All you need to do is identify your area, stop mowing between April and August and remove the cut material to compost to keep the soil nutrients low. Edge cuts will maintain a neat appearance and signage, explaining what you are doing and why, helps to spread the message. Avoid planting non-native shrubs like Cotoneaster. Land Management with nature in mind You can help local wildlife by stopping use of herbicides and pesticides, avoiding scrub and tree clearance/ management in bird nesting season and by making space for nature on buildings, for example, by installing bird and bat nest boxes. These small steps can have a big impact locally. Creating hedges with native trees and shrubs along boundaries is another way of creating more habitat on your grounds. Why not get your staff together to discuss ideas? Green Infrastructure Did you know that green infrastructure features such as green roofs, rain gardens and living walls can help regulate a building’s internal temperature, reduce storm water runoff and mitigate the urban heat island effect? If planted with native wildflower species, they have the added benefit of being wonderful habitats for pollinators. For inspiration, examples of green roofs in the county can be seen on the containers at Craig Gwladus Country Park and a living wall can be seen at Swansea University Bay Campus. IN THE GARDEN Are you passionate about encouraging wildlife in your garden? Below are a few ideas for you. Go Peat Free As well as being habitats for wildlife and stores of water to prevent flooding, the peatlands in the UK store three billion tonnes of carbon, more than all the forests of Germany, France and the UK put together. Peat from these peatlands is regularly used in the garden as compost. During the last 70 years, extensive areas of upland habitat on deep peat in NPT have been ploughed, drained and planted with conifers. The Lost Peatlands project is working to restore these peatlands, but you can also help by switching to peat-free in the garden. Choose local provenance plants Did you know that our native plant species will have adapted to the local conditions of NPT over a long period of time? This means that they will have local genetic variations, as will the pollinator species which depend on them in NPT. When planting new plants/ seeds in the garden, it is always best to source 'local provenance' stock to prevent this special genetic diversity from being diluted and damaged. Check with your plant supplier where your plants have been sourced from and look for local provenance. Nature isn't Neat Nature by design, isn't neat! You can help the wildlife in your garden by letting areas develop more naturally, leaving longer patches and letting plants like nettles have a little space. Many pollinators, like bees and butterflies, overwinter in dead plant material. You can help them survive the winter by leaving dead plant material standing, then clear it away in spring, only after temperatures are consistently reaching 10°C. Wildflower Lawn It may seem contradictory, but native plant species flourish in low nutrient environments. This is because high nutrient soils allow more competitive species like grasses and brambles to overtake. You can encourage wildflowers in your lawn by putting away the mower in the flowering season and collecting cuttings after mowing to reduce the nutrients in the soil. You can find out more about this here . Sand Dune Systems of Baglan Burrows and Crymlyn Burrows < Back 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. Mae arfordir CNPT yn ymestyn ar hyd Bae Abertawe, o Gampws y Bae Prifysgol Abertawe ger Jersey Marine i Draeth y Morfa wrth geg afon Cynffig. Ddau gan mlynedd yn ôl, roedd y llain arfordirol hon yn dwyni tywod dilychwin, ond collwyd llawer o’r rhain o ganlyniad i ddatblygu diwydiannol. Heddiw, Twyni Crymlyn a Thwyni Baglan, ar bob ochr i geg afon Nedd yw’r unig ardaloedd sylweddol o ecosystemau twyni tywod sydd wedi goroesi yn CNPT, er bod darnau llai o dwyni hefyd yng nghyffiniau Aberafan a’r Morfa. Access to Crymlyn Burrows is easy from the Bay Campus, where there is a Pay and Display car park. Baglan Burrows can be accessed from the coast path near Brunel Dock in Briton Ferry or from the northern end of Aberavon Beach. Both are distinguished by their dynamic, accreting sand dune systems, which sets them apart from many other dunes in Glamorgan and allows them to support diverse mobile sand communities of plants and animals. Strand line and foredune areas are well developed at both sites, where there are large amounts of Sea Rocket, Prickly Saltwort and Sea Sandwort and occasionally, scattered plants of Frosted Orache. Moving inland, the mobile foredunes have conspicuous populations of Sea Holly, Sea Bindweed, Dune Pansy and Sea Spurge. Dune Fescue, an uncommon grass in Britain, is also found here with Sand Cat’s-tail in amongst the Marram Grass. Sea Stock, which is now a rare plant on Crymlyn Burrows, can still be found in large numbers on Baglan Burrows. This Red Data species, which in the UK is found only in south Wales and the south west of England, is a very significant feature of our dune systems. Further inland the more fixed areas of dune have a very diverse collection of colourful grassland species, which include Pyramidal Orchid, Heath Violet and Kidney Vetch, which is particularly abundant on Crymlyn Burrows. Butterflies such as Small Blue, Brown Argus and the much larger Dark-green Fritillary fly in these biodiverse grasslands in summer. Unfortunately, many of the diverse dune slack systems that were found on these dunes 50 years ago have been lost. In the 1970s, Fen Orchid, Early Marsh-orchid, Marsh Helleborine, Marsh Lousewort, Marsh Arrowgrass and Round-leaved Wintergreen featured in slack systems on Crymlyn Burrows, but none of these occur there now. However Early Marsh-orchid and Marsh Helleborine can still be found on Baglan Burrows, where there are also significant populations of Yellow Bartsia, Cyperus Sedge, Distant Sedge and Dotted Sedge. Plans and tentative preparations have been made to recreate new dune slacks on Crymlyn Burrows. Of the birds you are likely to see on the dunes, Stonechat, Linnet and Skylark are particularly conspicuous and, in late spring, Cuckoo are often seen and heard. Winter sometimes brings a Short-eared Owl or Hen Harrier hunting over the dunes, while the strand line areas are good places to look for Snow Bunting at that time of year. Wading birds such as Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Oystercatcher and Curlew occur in varying numbers along the shore line, but the large winter feeding flocks of Sanderling that used to congregate on Crymlyn Burrows until recently have disappeared, probably as a result of relentless disturbance. In spring, small groups of Terns, including Little Tern, can usually be seen flying over the sea close to the shore, and Whimbrel are also seen on passage in spring and early autumn in most years. Space does not permit a detailed description of the invertebrate fauna of these dunes but you can expect to see the carabid beetle, Broscus cephalotes , hiding under washed-up debris along the strand line, as well as Sand Digger Wasps and sometimes hundreds of Snake Millipedes. Dune Villa flies are also seen commonly resting on the sand on warm summer afternoons. People are often surprised by the diversity of fungi that occur on our dunes. You might find the Common Bird’s-nest fungus after a careful search of woody debris on the strand line where Dune Brittlestem is common. Less common is the little Dune Inkcap which grows in close association with Marram Grass. Among many other species that occur in the more fixed grassy areas are the beautiful lilac coloured Sordid Blewit and the white Dune Dapperling. Ceir mynediad hwylus i Dwyni Crymlyn o Gampws y Bae, lle mae maes parcio Talu ac Arddangos. Gellir cael mynediad i Dwyni Baglan o lwybr yr arfordir ger Doc Brunel yn Llansawel neu o ben gogleddol Traeth Aberafan. Nodweddir y ddau safle gan systemau twyni tywod cronnus, dynamig, sy’n golygu eu bod yn wahanol i nifer o dwyni eraill ym Morgannwg ac mae hyn yn caniatáu iddynt gynnal planhigion ac anifeiliaid mewn cymunedau tywod symudol amrywiol. Ceir ardaloedd traethlin a chyn-dwyni datblygedig ar y ddau safle, lle mae nifer mawr o Hegydd Arfor, Helys Pigog a Thywodlys Arfor i’w gweld ynghyd ag ambell enghraifft wasgaredig o’r Llygwyn Ariannaid. Yn nes at y tir, mae’r cyn-dwyni symudol yn gartref i boblogaethau amlwg o Gelynnen y Môr, y Taglys Arfor, Trilliw’r Twyni a Llaethlys y Môr. Yn ogystal, mae Peisgwellt y Twyni, sy’n fath anghyffredin o laswellt ym Mhrydain, yn tyfu yma ynghyd â Rhonwellt y Tywyn ynghanol y Moresg. Mae’r Murwyll Arfor, sydd bellach yn blanhigyn prin yn Nhwyni Crymlyn, yn dal i fod yn niferus yn Nhwyni Baglan. Mae’r rhywogaeth Data Coch hon, sydd i’w chanfod yn ne Cymru a de-orllewin Lloegr yn unig yn y Deyrnas Unedig, yn nodwedd bwysig o’n systemau twyni. Yn nes at y tir, mae ardaloedd o dwyni mwy sefydlog yn cynnwys casgliad amrywiol iawn o rywogaethau glaswelltir lliwgar, sy’n cynnwys y Tegeirian Bera, Fioled y Rhos a’r Blucen Felen, sy’n arbennig o doreithiog yn Nhwyni Crymlyn. Yn ystod yr haf, gwelir gloÿnnod byw megis y Glesyn Bach, yr Argws Brown a’r Fritheg Werdd, sy’n llawer mwy o faint, yn hedfan trwy’r glaswelltiroedd bioamrywiol hyn. Gwaetha’r modd, mae llawer o’r systemau llaciau tywod amrywiol a oedd yn rhan o’r twyni hyn 50 mlynedd yn ôl wedi cael eu colli. Yn y 1970au, roedd Tegeirian y Fign Galchog, Tegeirian-y-gors Cynnar, Caldrist y Gors, Melog y Waun, Saethbennig y Gors a Glesyn-y-gaeaf Deilgrwn i’w canfod yn systemau llaciau Twyni Crymlyn, ond nid oes dim o’r rhain yn tyfu yno bellach. Fodd bynnag, mae modd gweld Tegeirian-y-gors Cynnar a Chaldrist y Gors o hyd yn Nhwyni Baglan, lle ceir hefyd boblogaethau sylweddol o’r Gorudd Melyn, yr Hesgen Gynffonnog, yr Hesgen Blodau Pell a’r Hesgen Fannog. Lluniwyd cynlluniau a pharatoadau petrus i ail-greu llaciau tywod newydd yn Nhwyni Crymlyn. O ran yr adar sy’n debygol o gael eu gweld yn y twyni, mae Clochdar y Cerrig, y Llinos a’r Ehedydd yn amlwg iawn a thuag at ddiwedd y gwanwyn, mae’r Gog i’w gweld a’i chlywed yn aml. Weithiau, daw ambell Dylluan Glustiog neu Foda Tinwyn i hela uwchben y twyni yn y gaeaf, ac mae ardaloedd y traethlin yn fannau da i chwilio am Freision yr Eira ar yr adeg honno o’r flwyddyn. Mae adar hirgoes megis Pibydd y Mawn, y Cwtiad Torchog, y Rhostog Gynffonfraith, y Bioden Fôr a’r Gylfinir i’w canfod i raddau gwahanol ar hyd ymyl y traeth, ond mae’r heidiau mawr o Bibyddion y Tywod a arferai ymgasglu i fwydo yn Nhwyni Crymlyn tan yn gymharol ddiweddar wedi diflannu, fwy na thebyg o ganlyniad i aflonyddu di-baid. Yn ystod y gwanwyn, mae grwpiau bach o Fôr-wenoliaid, gan gynnwys y Fôr-wennol Fach, i’w gweld yn aml yn hedfan dros y môr yn agos at y lan, a gwelir Coelgylfinirod hefyd ar eu taith yn y gwanwyn a dechrau’r hydref bob blwyddyn bron. Nid oes digon o le yma i gynnwys disgrifiad manwl o ffawna infertebratau’r twyni hyn ond gellir disgwyl gweld y carabid, Broscus cephalotes , yn cuddio o dan weddillion sy’n dod i’r lan ar hyd y traethlin, yn ogystal â Gwenyn Meirch sy’n tyrchu yn y tywod a channoedd o Nadroedd Miltroed weithiau. Mae’n gyffredin gweld clêr Villa modesta yn gorffwys ar y tywod ar brynhawniau twym yn yr haf. Mae pobl yn aml yn rhyfeddu at yr amrywiaeth o ffyngau sydd i’w canfod yn ein twyni. Gallech weld ffwng Nyth Aderyn o chwilio’n ofalus trwy’r gweddillion pren ar y traethlin lle mae Coesynnau Brau Moresg yn gyffredin. Mae’r Cap Inc Twyni Bach, sy’n tyfu’n agos at y Moresg, yn llai cyffredin. Mae sawl rhywogaeth arall i’w canfod yn yr ardaloedd glaswelltog mwy sefydlog, gan gynnwys lliw lelog hyfryd Lepista sordida a ffwng gwyn Pertyn y Twyni ( Lepiota erminea ). Gallery Previous Next Gnoll Estate Country Park < Back 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. Mae Ystâd y Gnoll, a fu’n gartref i deulu entrepreneuraidd Mackworth yn y ddeunawfed ganrif, ar safle amlwg sy’n edrych dros ganol tref Castell-nedd. Gyda thirwedd goediog, 4 llyn a glaswelltir eang, mae’r parc heddiw yn fan gwyrdd trefol sy’n adnodd pwysig ac yn gyrchfan poblogaidd i breswylwyr ac ymwelwyr â’r dref. Mae digonedd o fywyd gwyllt i’w gweld yma ar bob adeg o’r flwyddyn. Vehicle access to the Gnoll is easiest from the Fairyland entrance which takes you to a large pay and display car park and the nearby Visitor Centre. Alternatively, it can also be walked from Neath Town Centre, walking through the memorial gate and past the lower pond. From the Visitor Centre you can take a leisurely walk around the large lake (the second pond) and a number of paths and trails from there will take you into the heart of the impressive Beech woods. There is plenty to keep young families interested, with the avenue of Horse Chestnut providing a plentiful supply of ‘conkers’ along the route to the old Mackworth House; the hollow Oak, surviving decades of children clambering around its hollow trunk and the plentiful clumps of frogspawn and tadpoles found throughout the many ponds and ditches in the Park. The lake always has lots of wildfowl, including Mute Swan, Coot, Moorhen, Little Grebe, Mallard, Tufted Duck and Goosander. On quiet mornings you may also see a Water Rail, a Heron or a Kingfisher and in spring there are usually occasional sightings of Common Sandpiper along the edges of the lake. A grassy bank on the southern perimeter of the lake usually has a spectacular display of Southern Marsh-orchids in early summer. At any time of year you may see Red Kite soaring above your head. There are several magnificent specimen trees in the Beech woods, many of which must have been planted as part of the original Mackworth Estate. There is also lots of Hornbeam and smaller amounts of Norway Maple here and although none of these are native trees in this part of Wales, they provide an impressive woodland environment nonetheless. In autumn, woodland fungi such as the Wood Hedgehog, the Miller and the beautiful Orange Grisette can be found on the woodland floor, and in winter, flocks of Chaffinch with small groups of Brambling forage there for beech mast. Later in spring, Nuthatch can be heard whistling in the canopy while Greater Spotted Woodpecker drum on resonant tree trunks. Chiffchaff and Wood Warbler are among the summer migrants that breed here. Fragments of ancient oak woodland still survive in the Dingle along Preswylfa Brook and in Mosshouse Wood, where Silver-washed Fritillary butterflies are occasional in summer and Purple Hairstreaks fly high in the woodland canopy. Spring displays of Bluebell can be impressive in these places, and you may also find other ancient woodland indicators such as Wood Anemone, Woodruff and Yellow Archangel. The little brooks and streams in these valleys are good places to look out for Grey Wagtail and Dipper. From the Visitor Centre, there is an enjoyable walk to the upper Mosshouse lake, a disused reservoir surrounded by a quiet woodland bisected by an impressive, man-made cascade. Look out for Spotted Flycatcher hereabouts and listen out for trilling Wood Warbler. Pied Flycatcher have bred here in past years but have not been seen recently. En route to the old reservoir you will pass an area thick with birch and willow that has replaced a small plantation of Western Hemlock which was clear-felled not so long ago. The plot is quickly reverting back to deciduous woodland and is usually alive with birdsong from Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcap and Garden Warbler in late spring. Bats are particularly active on warm summer nights around the second pond where there are roosts of Noctule and Daubenton’s bats. They are undoubtedly attracted by the large numbers of moths that fly at these times. Moth traps usually pick up a diversity of species in the park, which have included the uncommon Alder Kitten and Chocolate Tip, as well as larger, spectacular, hawkmoth species. Y ffordd fwyaf hwylus i gerbydau gyrraedd y Gnoll yw trwy fynedfa Fairyland sy’n mynd â chi i faes parcio talu ac arddangos helaeth a’r Ganolfan Ymwelwyr gerllaw. Fel arall, mae modd cerdded yno o ganol tref Castell-nedd, gan fynd trwy’r porth coffa a heibio i’r pwll isaf. O’r Ganolfan Ymwelwyr, gallwch gerdded yn hamddenol o amgylch y llyn mawr (yr ail bwll) lle bydd nifer o lwybrau yn eich arwain oddi yno i ganol y goedwig Ffawydd drawiadol. Mae digon o bethau i gynnal diddordeb teuluoedd ifanc, gyda rhodfa Castanwydd y Meirch sy’n darparu digonedd o ‘goncyrs’ ar hyd y ffordd at hen Dŷ Mackworth; y Dderwen geubren, sydd wedi goroesi degawdau o blant yn dringo drosti a’r clympiau helaeth o grifft broga a phenbyliaid sydd yn y pyllau a’r ffosydd niferus yn y Parc. Mae llawer o adar gwyllt ar y llyn bob amser, gan gynnwys Elyrch Dof, Cwtieir, Ieir Dŵr, Gwyachod Bach, Hwyaid Gwyllt, Hwyaid Copog a Hwyaid Danheddog. Ar foreau tawel fe allech chi hefyd weld Rhegen Ddŵr, Crëyr Glas neu Las y Dorlan ac yn y gwanwyn fel arfer, mae’n gyffredin gweld ambell Bibydd y Dorlan ar lan y llyn. Fel arfer, mae arddangosfa ysblennydd o Degeiriannau’r-gors Deheuol i’w gweld ar fancyn glas ar berimedr deheuol y llyn ar ddechrau’r haf. Gallech weld Barcud Coch yn hedfan uwch eich pen ar unrhyw adeg o’r flwyddyn. Mae nifer o goed enghreifftiol ardderchog yn y goedwig Ffawydd, a gafodd eu plannu, mae’n siŵr, fel rhan o Ystâd wreiddiol Mackworth. Hefyd, mae llawer o Oestrwydd a nifer llai o Fasarn Norwy yma ac er nad yw’r rhain yn goed brodorol yn y rhan hon o Gymru, maen nhw’n darparu amgylchedd coetir trawiadol serch hynny. Yn yr hydref, mae ffyngau coetir megis Pigau Draenog y Coed, Cap y Melinydd a’r Amanita Benfelen hardd ar lawr y coetir ac yn y gaeaf, mae heidiau o Ji-bincod ynghyd â grwpiau llai o Bincod y Mynydd yn fforio am gnau ffawydd yno. Yn hwyrach yn y gwanwyn, clywir Telor y Cnau yn chwibanu yn y canopi wrth i’r Gnocell Fraith Fawr guro ar foncyffion coed atseiniol. Mae’r Siff Siaff a Thelor y Coed ymhlith y mudwyr haf sy’n bridio yma. Mae darnau o goetir derw hynafol yn dal i oroesi yn y Ceunant (Dingle) ar lan Nant Preswylfa ac yng Nghoed Mosshouse, lle gwelir ambell Frith Arian yn yr haf a lle mae Brithribiniau Porffor yn hedfan fry yng nghanopi’r coetir. Mae Clychau’r Gog yn drawiadol yn y mannau hyn a gallech hefyd weld rhai dangosyddion coetir hynafol eraill megis Blodyn y Gwynt, y Friwydd Bêr a’r Farddanhadlen Felen. Mae’r nentydd bach yn y dyffrynnoedd hyn yn fannau da i weld y Siglen Lwyd a Bronwen y Dŵr. O’r Ganolfan Ymwelwyr, mae’n braf mynd am dro at lyn uchaf Mosshouse, sef hen gronfa ddŵr nas defnyddir sydd wedi’i hamgylchynu gan goetir tawel sydd wedi’i hollti gan raeadr ffug sylweddol ei maint. Edrychwch am Wybedog Mannog yma a gwrandewch ar drydar Telor y Coed. Bu’r Gwybedog Brith yn bridio yma yn y gorffennol ond nis gwelwyd yn ddiweddar. Ar eich ffordd at yr hen gronfa ddŵr, byddwch yn mynd heibio i ardal lle mae trwch o goed bedw a helyg wedi cymryd lle planhigfa fach o Hemlog y Gorllewin a gafodd ei llwyrgwympo yn weddol ddiweddar. Mae coetir collddail yn ailddatblygu’n gyflym ar y llain lle mae cân Telor yr Helyg, y Llwydfron, y Telor Penddu a Thelor yr Ardd yn llenwi’r lle tuag at ddiwedd y gwanwyn. Ar nosweithiau cynnes o haf, bydd ystlumod yn arbennig o brysur o gwmpas yr ail bwll lle mae Ystlumod Mawr ac Ystlumod y Dŵr yn clwydo. Mae’n siŵr eu bod nhw’n cael eu denu gan y niferoedd mawr o wyfynod sy’n hedfan ar yr adegau hyn. Mae trapiau gwyfynod fel arfer yn dal amrywiaeth o rywogaethau yn y parc, sydd wedi cynnwys rhywogaethau anghyffredin Cathan y Gwernos a’r Blaen Brown, yn ogystal â rhywogaethau o walchwyfynod trawiadol a mwy o faint. Gallery Previous Next View All

Wed, 28 Aug | Harlequins Rugby Ground Living Wall Training & Launch - Hyfforddiant ar gyfer creu wal werdd @ The Harlequins You are invited to discover a living wall near you Hyfforddiant ar gyfer creu wal werdd Time & Location 28 Aug 2024, 18:00 – 19:00 Harlequins Rugby Ground, Harlequin Rd, Port Talbot SA12 6UP, UK About the event Have you spotted the new LivingWall and Mural at the Harlequins Rugby Ground? This exciting addition not only showcases the stunning biodiversity of Neath Port Talbot but also creates a vital habitat for pollinators and other wildlife to flourish. To celebrate this new natural space and offer inspiration on how you can create something similar in your own space, join us for our Green Wall Event on the 28th August - 6:00pm - at the Rugby Ground. Enjoy complimentary teas, coffees, and take home a free plant! We look forward to seeing you there. Any questions please email - greeninfrastructure@npt.gov.uk ____________________________________________ Ydych chi wedi gweld y wal werdd a’r murlun newydd ar faes rygbi’r Harlequins? Mae’r ychwanegiad cyffrous hwn yn dangos bioamrywiaeth syfrdanol Castell-nedd Port Talbot ac yn creu cynefin hanfodol i beillwyr a bywyd gwyllt arall ffynnu. Er mwyn dathlu’r lle naturiol newydd hwn a chynnig ysbrydoliaeth o ran sut y gallwch greu rhywbeth tebyg yn eich ardal eich hun, ymunwch â ni ar gyfer ein Digwyddiad Wal Werdd ar 28 Awst - 6:00 y prynhawn ar y maes rygbi. Gallwch fwynhau te a choffi a bydd planhigyn am ddim i chi fynd ag ef adref gyda chi! Edrychwn ymlaen at eich gweld chi yno. Unrhyw gwestiynau anfonwch e-bost at - greeninfrastructure@npt.gov.uk Show More Share this event

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