15th July 2015

On Sunday 21st June, ARC’s new, Big Lottery Funded project was launched at Parc Slip Nature Reserve near Bridgend. The Dragonscapes project will engage the people of South Wales in habitat creation, surveying and sustainable food growing activities that will benefit amphibians and reptiles and their habitats.

Dr. John Wilkinson of ARC opened the launch by introducing the organisation, then Mark Barber, BLF Species Officer, talked about the aims of the project and how people could be involved. Attendees were shown slides of Wales’ amphibians and reptiles and asked if they knew how to correctly identify them! The talks were completed by a guest appearance from ARC Patron Iolo Williams who inspired the audience to protect Wales’ herpetofauna and other biodiversity and to engage with the project.

After the indoor session, people were free to attend a pyrography workshop, where they could create images of herpetofauna in blocks of wood, or go on one of two exceptional reptile rambles led by Mark Barber. Family groups and individuals were able to see huge numbers of gravid grass snakes, as well as adders, slow-worms and viviparous lizards. ARC volunteer Sam Langdon also led pond dipping sessions where amphibians and other aquatic minibeasts could be examined more closely by a throng of enthusiastic youngsters! What a perfect start to the project!

Thanks to the (over 40) people who attended, helped out and participated, and to the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales for hosting the launch.

If you live in South Wales and would like to get involved, please contact:
Mark Barber - m[email protected] (species surveying) or
Peter Hill - p[email protected] (habitat work and sustainable growing)