Schoolchildren help launch The Secret Marsh, a hidden
National Park gem
A previously hidden part of the Pembrokeshire Coast
National Park was officially revealed last week with the
help of budding conservationists.
The opening of The Secret Marsh: a previously
inaccessible area of wetland at Freshwater East Burrows,
the only Local Nature Reserve in the National Park, has
created a new educational resource for local
schoolchildren.
Over the winter, National Park Authority Rangers,
Wardens and Voluntary Wardens joined forces with members
of community group FERN (Freshwater East Reserve for
Nature) to build a boardwalk through the marshland, plus
a new pond and a bird hide which was thatched using reed
from the marsh itself.
Children from the nearby Lamphey Primary School attended
today’s launch and erected wildlife sculptures they had
made using willow from their school grounds, with the
help of local environmental artist Dave Welton.
Chairman of FERN Bill Reynolds and Chairman of the
National Park Authority Richard Howells cut a ribbon
across the bird hide to open The Secret Marsh.
Bill Reynolds, FERN Chairman, said: “This has been a
very exciting and rewarding project for us. It has
opened up an area which people have never been able to
appreciate in this way before.
“As
a whole the project has really enhanced the area. There
is so much wildlife here which changes with the seasons,
so every time you walk around there is something new to
see.”
The Local Nature Reserve (LNR) was designated in 2007.
It consists of sand dunes, grassland, scrub, woodland
and marshland. It is a varied and special place that is
home to scores of species which thrive alongside each
other, including slow worms, glow worms and adders and
rabbits (which gave The Burrows its name).
The project, funded by grants from Planed and the
Environment Agency, is a great example of how the
National Park Authority works with other organisations
and community groups to help conserve the unique
qualities of the National Park.
Chairman of the Park Authority, Richard Howells, said: “The
establishment of the nature reserve at Freshwater is a
remarkable example of a community-led project working in
partnership with a Local Authority which in this case
was the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.
“I was particularly pleased with the involvement of the
Park Rangers and the high level of appreciation by the
Freshwater East team for their practical assistance.
“When one looks at the Reserve, the developing pond and
the superb hide it underlines the foresight of a local
group who identified the potential of what was an
unloved and overgrown wasteland and transformed it into
a wonderful asset for the community and visitors alike.”
Caption 1: (left
to right) FERN Chairman Bill Reynolds, Mrs Reynolds,
Voluntary Warden Barry Clarke, National Park Authority
Senior Ranger (South) Libby Taylor, Voluntary Warden
Vicky Tomlinson, Park Authority Chairman Richard
Howells, Ranger (South) Tim Jones and children from
Lamphey Primary School.
Caption 2: Volunteers from
FERN and the National Park Authority helped with the
long job of cutting and stacking the reeds which were
used to thatch the bird hide.
Caption 3: Lamphey Primary
School pupils
Amy (at the front), Alyssa (left) and Olivia
with the willow sculpture they made for the marsh with
help from environmental artist Dave Welton.
Issued by Laura Ridgway, National Park Authority
Communications, tel 01646 624822 or email
laurar@pembrokeshirecoast.org.uk