Vale Nature Partnership

🌳Join us in planting a new hedgerow in Buttrills Playing Fields, Barry to improve biodiversity and connectivity for wildlife 🐾

All tools will be provided and all welcome!

Friday 13 February, 10am onwards
Buttrills Playing Fields, North Walk, Barry, CF62 8FJ
what3words.com/blank.songs....

Guided Bird Walk at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park Join the Vale LNP and Nature on Your Doorstep for a bird walk and to showcase the recent edition of the Bird Hide

🐦 Free Guided Bird Walk at Cosmeston Lakes!
Celebrate the #BigGardenBirdwatch with us 🕙 Sat 24 Jan, 10am–12pm.
Free bird boxes (first come, first served)!
Book now 👉 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/guided-bir...

#ValeNature #LocalPlacesforNature #LNPCymru #NatureNeighbours

🌱 New Year, New Nature!
Make 2026 the year you help wildlife thrive.
Get a Nature Recording Starter Pack or Habitat Creation Package from @valelnp.bsky.social – perfect for creating spaces for hedgehogs, bats, birds & more!
👉 Apply here: forms.office.com/e/BeG73imqmB...
#ValeNature

Vale Nature Partnership First set up in 2021 through theLocal Nature Partnership Cymruproject, the Vale Nature Partnership forms part of an all-Wales network of LNPs to conserve, promote and enhance nature in their areas.O...

Interested in learning practical skills in hedgelaying and how this helps biodiversity? 🌳🐾

We have limited spaces this weekend to join our 1 day hedgelaying course in Llantwit Major, choose from either Fri 5 or Sat 6 Dec, 10-3pm

More info and to book: www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/vale-natur...

And we’re not stopping here! We’ll keep advocating for green spaces that support nature and help connect habitats, acting as vital stepping stones for wildlife across our landscape.
#NatureNeighbours #NationalTreeWeek #ValeNature #ConnectingNature

✅ Started restoring grassland into species-rich meadows – By changing mowing practices to 'cut and collect', we’re encouraging native wildflowers and grasses to grow, supporting pollinators and wider biodiversity, making the park a more interesting place to explore.

✅ Fenced off an area for natural woodland regeneration – Letting nature do the work helps woodland grow and creates more resilient habitats for wildlife.

✅ Added native standard trees – These will grow into the veteran trees of the future, creating habitats for insects, birds, and fungi while offering shade for visitors.

✅ Planted a Welsh heritage orchard – Locally sourced fruit trees provide spring blossom for pollinators, food for birds and wildlife later in the year, and fruit for the community to enjoy.

Over the past couple of years, we’ve been working with Vale of Glamorgan Council, Penarth Tree Forum, St Cyres Primary students, and local residents to make St Cyres Park a better place for nature and people.
Together we’ve:

Seed sowing at Chickenwood!

Join us at Chickenwood this Friday to sow native wildflower seeds to create new meadow areas in the park

Come along and get involved, everyone is welcome!

Friday 28 November, 11am
Meet at community noticeboard: what3words.com/vest.crisis....
#ValeNature

🌲Tree ID Walk this Sunday at Porthkerry is POSTPONED 🌧

Unfortunately our Tree ID Walk this Sunday 23 November at Porthkerry has been postponed due to the forecasted bad weather conditions.

We will share the rescheduled date soon!

Join Us at The Knap!
@valelnp.bsky.social are sowing wildflower seeds to create meadow areas. Come along and get involved, everyone is welcome. 🌼🌿

📅 Tuesday 18 November
🕚 10:30am
📍 Meeting point: what3words location: what3words.com/packet.learn...

#Wildflowers #Biodiversity #ValeNature

POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER WARNING 🌧
Unfortunately, our Wildflower seed sowing event tomorrow has been postponed due to the weather forecast for heavy rain.
New date: Monday, 17 November at 11:30 AM
We’d love for you to join us then!

///hook.aims.civil This is the what3words address for a 3 metre square location near Dinas Powys, Vale of Glamorgan.

🌼 Wildflower Seed Sowing – Sully Linear Park 🌼
Join us on Fri 14 Nov at 11am to help sow native wildflower seeds and boost local biodiversity! 🌱🐝
📍 Meeting point: what3words.com/hook.aims.ci...
(Off Westminster & Dulverton Drive)
All welcome – no tools needed! 💚
#ValeLNP #NatureInTheVale

Thrilled to share the finished hedge at Cosmeston! Expertly laid by Draenog Countryside & Wildlife, with help from our training course attendees. 🌿👏
This traditional technique rejuvenates hedgerows, boosting habitat for pollinators, birds & more. Great job all! 🌳
#Valenature #Hedgerows #Biodiversity

🌿 Schools, community groups & local organisations in the Vale our Free Nature Starter Packages are ready for you! 🌼🦔

Free resources to help you bring nature into your space 🌱
✅ Easy to apply
📥 Apply here: forms.office.com/e/BeG73imqmB...

#ValeNature #NatureStarterKit #WildVale #NatureInTheVale

YouTube video by The British Hedgehog Preservation Society Look Before Your Light on Bonfire Night!

🔥 Bonfire Night tip: check your bonfire for wildlife before lighting! 🦔 Hedgehogs may be hiding inside to hibernate.
✅ Build on the day
✅ Check thoroughly
✅ Move the pile if needed
Let’s keep our celebrations safe for nature 💛
www.youtube.com/watch?v=B06n...
#BonfireNight #HedgehogAwareness #BHPS

🍂 Huge thanks to all the budding artists who joined our Autumn Nature art event at Forest Lodge, Porthkerry Country Park! 🎨🖌️
Special shoutout to @sarahhannis.bsky.social for leading such a creative, nature-inspired session 💛

#AutumnNatureArt #NatureInspired #ValeNature #LocalArtists

A Water Vole in between reeds on a river nibbling some pond weed.

Join us for an evening all about Water Voles! Come along to Cowbridge Town Hall on 13th November for a short film screening and Q&A with Water Vole experts to learn about their recent reintroduction to the River Thaw.

Book your place: champ.ly/Yq_El1AM

📸 Terry Whittaker/2020VISION

A few tickets have just become available for our FREE 1-day Hedgelaying Courses at Cosmeston, Penarth this weekend - choose either Saturday 25 or Sunday 26 October 10-4pm 🌿

Book your free ticket here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/vale-natur...

#ValeNature #Conservation

About Bats - Bat Conservation Trust Bats are fascinating animals – the only true flying mammal. There are 1,500 species of bats in the world (as of September 2025), and more are still bein...

🦇 Today is the start of #BatWeek, an international celebration of bats and why they matter!

Find out more about bats here: www.bats.org.uk/about-bats

🍄 Happy #UKFungusDay 4 October 2025! 🍄

We celebrated early in the Vale with a fungi walk led by
Natur Hud, joined by members of Porthkerry Wildlife Group at Porthkerry Country Park.

Have you spotted any fungi, share your photos and tag us #ValeNature

📷 Porthkerry Wildlife Group

#WaxcapWatch

Welsh Water vole project hoping diet change can help rodents Trying to better simulate a water vole's diet in the wild may help those released from captivity.

🐾 Well done to our partners @wtsww.bsky.social, National Resources Wales, South East Wales Rivers Trust & Restore The Thaw Project for helping bring back water voles to the Vale!
Read the full article here!
🔗 BBC article: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Grassy flowery verge and litter picking kit

Wild carrot

Yarrow

Common mallow (I think!)

Plant survey and litter pick at Castle Drive yesterday. Lots of variety of flowers (& litter 😡😂) @valelnp.bsky.social

Vale Nature Partnership First set up in 2021 through theLocal Nature Partnership Cymruproject, the Vale Nature Partnership forms part of an all-Wales network of LNPs to conserve, promote and enhance nature in their areas.Our mission in the Vale is to reconnect people from all across the county with nature. By developing a nature recovery network, we aim to engage the public, local community groups and organisations, as well as schools and businesses to take part in practical action for nature in their communities.

📣1 place has just become available for each of our Learn to Scythe courses this weekend (Saturday 30 or Sunday 31 August), at University Hospital Llandough, led by Handpowered

Book your free place here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/vale-natur...

#ValeNature #Scything #Training

We had an amazing time at the Vale Nature Festival on Sat 19 July! 🌿💚
Huge thanks to all who made it such a success. 🙌

Share your favourite moments with us using #ValeNature 📸✨

@lnpcymru.bsky.social @wcvacymru.bsky.social

Many thanks to @valelnp.bsky.social for the invitation to be be part of yesterday's Vale Nature Festival. It was my pleasure to spend the afternoon talking about flora, galls, fungi & little critters. #natureconnection #naturematters
📸 Courtesy of Emily Shaw, Vale LNP

A huge thank you to all the members of our Vale Nature Partnership, festival volunteers, stallholders, activity providers, ranger staff and suppliers for working so hard to make the day such a success! 👏

📷 We would love to see your photos of the day, please share them with us using #ValeNature

🎉 THANK YOU / DIOLCH to everyone that joined us in the sunshine 🌞 for the second Vale Nature Festival at Cosmeston! 🎪 What an amazing turnout celebrating nature in the Vale 🐾

Lots more highlights to share with you next week but here’s a few snippets of some of the days festivities! #ValeNature