A community partnership has received national recognition for its continuing work to help nature at a popular Rhuddlan site.

Rhuddlan Nature Reserve was honoured at the recent Wales in Bloom 2024 awards ceremony at Abergavenny.

The Council's Countryside Services have worked closely with the Rhuddlan Reserve Management Advisory Group since 2011 to manage the site to help nature flourish and provide a great place for community well-being.

Through the vision of the group and the skill of the countryside rangers, Rhuddlan Nature Reserve has grown and developed over the years with the introduction of initiatives including two wildflower meadows, three wildlife ponds, 300 metres of hedgerow, wildflower seeded verges, planting of 6,000 trees, a heritage species orchard, two picnic areas and a pond dipping platform.

The partnership, working with the local Dementia also created a Dementia friendly space on the site with sensory, trees, wildflowers and historic landscape features such as dry stone walls and laid hedges complete with traditional Welsh oak timber seating.

Adoption of the specially designed reserve by local wildlife has exceeded all expectations and which includes iconic species such as otters and water voles and which happen to be some of the more rapidly declining mammals in the UK.

Wales in Bloom awarded Rhuddlan the John Woods Environmental Award and ‘Outstanding’ in the It’s Your Neighbourhood Category which is a scheme for volunteer-led community gardening groups which are focused on cleaning up and greening up their local area.

Anita Fagan, Chair of the Rhuddlan Reserve Management Advisory Group was also awarded a Community Champion Award for her role in supporting Rhuddlan Nature Reserve.

She said: “I want to pass my grateful thanks to all committee members for their positive, proactive work for the reserve. I believe all committee members go ‘above and beyond’ their required commitment.

“Denbighshire Countryside Services and their team of rangers supported by fantastic volunteers deserve very special praise and thanks for their dedication to maintaining the reserve while juggling all their other nature reserve commitments in North Denbighshire.”

Councillor Alan James, Lead Member for Local Development and Planning said: “This is a fantastic collaboration that Countryside Services are a part of and it has produced a wealth of support for local nature and the community who come to enjoy this site on a regular basis.

“It is great to see this work by all recognised and I look forward to seeing this important community site continue to flourish into the future.”