Young rangers learn traditional scything skills at Nantclwyd y Dre

Members of Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Young Ranger programme have been learning traditional countryside skills in an effort to manage the wildflower meadows at Nantclwyd y Dre.

Following a bat survey earlier in the year organised by the Council’s Biodiversity team to monitor the historic house’s protected roost of Pipistrelle, Lesser-Horseshoe, and brown Long-Eared bats, the Young Rangers returned to Nantclwyd for a practical scything workshop.

Led by Denbighshire County Council’s Countryside and Heritage teams, the two sessions were linked by a shared conservation aim to manage the wildflower meadow to encourage biodiversity and support the insects and other invertebrates that form an important part of the local flora and fauna.

Scything is thought to date back to the Roman ages. It involves using a long-curved blade that is situated on an angle to a handle to allow cutting grass by hand. The traditional technique was how hay would have been harvested from Denbighshire meadows and pastures before the use of tractors became more widespread.

The technique is friendly to the wildlife that frequents meadows as it gives them time to move on and those scything the change to spot any animals or insects. By removing the cut vegetation it help to keep the soil nutrient levels low, creating favourable conditions for wildflowers and encourage greater biodiversity.

This is all especially valuable in a historic garden which provides a home for a wide range of wildlife, including hedgehogs and other garden species, and forms part of the wider approach to managing the gardens at Nantclwyd y Dre where conservation and biodiversity are important considerations alongside the care of the historic site.

Kate Thomson, Site Manager at Nantclwyd y Dre, said:

“It was fantastic to see the Young Rangers getting hands-on experience of a traditional skills while also making a real contribution to the conservation of the gardens. The two sessions demonstrate how looking after our historic spaces and protecting wildlife can work hand in hand.”

Councillor Huw Hilditch-Roberts, Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Education & Children, Welsh Language, Culture and Heritage said:

“The combined efforts of the Countryside and Heritage Services, together with the Young Rangers, are a great example of how traditional skills can support the sustainable management of local biodiversity and the care of our heritage, while giving young people valuable opportunities to develop practical countryside and conservation skills.”

For further information please contact the Denbighshire Heritage Service via heritage@denbighshire.gov.uk, or the Countryside Department via Imogen.Hammond@denbighshire.gov.uk