Local Places for Nature Grant
We have been successful in obtaining funding worth £414,200, thanks to a grant from Welsh Government’s Local Places for Nature scheme.
This fund is for Local Nature Partnerships, to restore and enhance nature on your doorstep by focusing on ‘everyday places’ such as locations where people live or work.
This fund will be used to create nature hubs and enhance biodiversity across Bridgend County Borough, whilst improving these spaces for people to engage with and spend time in nature.
Improvement works
Current improvements works include:
Coychurch Playing Fields
A nature and leisure park featuring native trees, shrubs and wildflowers.
The scheme will also include attenuation ponds and mounds to improve the drainage of the field, improving conditions for recreation and preventing flooding to the surrounding areas, whilst creating important wetland habitat.
The site will also benefit from new path works to allow access to and around the site.
Tondu Play Park off Maesteg Road
The park will benefit from native trees, shrubs and wildflowers, creating a barrier from the busy road whilst maintaining views into the play area.
The scheme also includes benches to allow visitors a quiet space to enjoy nature and the play facilities, as well as fruit trees, bird boxes and a bug hotel.
Caerau Men’s Shed
Caerau Men’s Shed was established for men who require friendship, support and a sense of belonging.
The group manage an area of land in Caerau which currently offers little recreational or ecological value.
Through this scheme, the space will be transformed into a wildlife garden and food growing area which can be accessed by the local community, schools, groups and wildlife enthusiasts.
The scheme will also feature a small pond and a bird hide.
Blaencaerau Estate
The estate is owned and managed by Valleys to Coast Housing Association and will benefit from a dedicated community growing space, native trees along the main spine road, new woodland creation and a wildlife garden.
It is hoped that these works will enhance and create vital corridors and provide connectivity between habitats for a range of species such as pollinators, bats and small mammals, as well as improving the areas for local communities.