New Henllan Community nature space takes shape
Features have been added to a new Henllan area to help support both nature and the community.
Work is progressing at the Henllan Community Nature Space which began life back in the Spring of this year.
The area is one of four new community nature spaces – alongside similar areas at Rhyl, St Asaph and Clocaenog – that the Council’s Countryside Service and Climate Change teams are creating in the county this year to boost benefits for both local wildlife and residents’ wellbeing.
The Community Nature Spaces work alongside woodland creation work this year at schools across the county has received funding through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Breathing life into the site, Ysgol Henllan pupils joined with Denbighshire Countryside Service rangers and volunteers to shape the new nature site at land behind Meifod Road by helping to plant over 1,700 trees.
Work has now been completed on the central pond on the site which has been lined, fenced off and is now collecting water.
The surrounding sculpted banks and hibernacula have been dressed with clean soil imported from another of the Community Nature Space sites
Stone surfaced footpaths are also now in place on the sites and an additional shallow wetland feature between the site entrance and future woodland glade that formed during the earthworks has been retained and adopted into the scheme.
Picnic tables and benches have been installed on the site and work on an outdoor classroom is nearing completion.
Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “It is great to see this site developing well after all the work the pupils and volunteers put in to plant the trees.
“The area will become a fantastic place for local residents young and old to enjoy and learn from wildlife on the land and bring other benefits including improved air quality, urban heat cooling and opportunities to support community physical and mental wellbeing.”
A Ruthin nature space has been recognised for its contribution to supporting local nature
Llanrhydd Street Nature Space was honoured at the recent Wales in Bloom 2024 awards ceremony held at Abergavenny.
Denbighshire Countryside Services alongside with the Council's Climate Change Team and volunteers originally breathed life into the old school field next to Ruthin Hospital in 2022, both for nature and for the enjoyment of the local community.
Local school children rolled up their sleeves to help plant nearly 800 trees on the site as part of the part of the Council’s continuing effort to reduce carbon emissions and improve biodiversity
And in keeping with the school theme, an outdoor classroom area was also built on the site not only to help the children learn about biodiversity but also give a helping hand to local nocturnal residents.
The classroom constructed of wood by local craftsperson Huw Noble incorporated a ‘Bat Roof’ which was specially designed to provide the features bats need to roost during the day.
Paths were created through wildflower meadows on the site, a pond developed to support nature and picnic benches added for community us.
The site has been managed since by Countryside Rangers with the support of volunteers backed by Nature for Health.
Entering for the first time, Llanrhydd Street Nature Space has been classed as Level 4 ‘Thriving’ under the Royal Horticulture Society and Wales in Bloom It’s Your Neighbourhood awards 2023. This area of Wales in Bloom is a scheme for volunteer-led community gardening groups which are focused on cleaning up and greening up their local area.
Senior Countryside Ranger Jim Kilpatrick said:” We are really pleased that through the work of all volunteers young and old alongside our rangers has helped this fantastic site for nature and the Ruthin community be recognised.
“It’s developing really well since we began in 2022 here, the meadows are thriving in season and the trees planted are really coming on strong.”
Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport and Council Biodiversity Champion, said: “The volunteers and staff have made a real positive difference to what was once an old school field at Ruthin thanks to their dedicated work to improving biodiversity and the surroundings for the community. It’s brilliant that they have received this recognition for all their hard work.”