Gwarchodfa Natur Pontypridd Nature Reserve

05/06/2026

26/02/2026

Thinking of staring a Community Nature Reserve? We’ve spoken to lots of local projects and compiled some advice based on experience to guide and inspire you. The resource also has advice about creating a plan with more details about steps to take. Each area is different, so this is just a guide to help you bring people and wildlife together where you live:

🌱 Start small with what you have. A window box, balcony, front garden or shared green - every patch counts.
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Find your people. Build networks by finding allies, local experts and local people.
🐝 Don’t wait for permission! Councils may support you eventually as Community Nature Reserves will align with their environmental and community objectives. Community leadership is key and powerful.
📣 Share updates, sightings & knowledge. Share successes (wildlife sightings, beauty), resources (seeds, tools, time, advice, encouragement) and celebrate small wins.
🦔 Make it relatable. Encourage ‘messy for nature’ spaces. Prioritise relatable changes as not everyone has lots of time or money. Focus on a local species, like hedgehogs or trees. No judgement. No need to be an expert.

Be part of a Community Nature Reserve:
https://www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/team-wilder-community-nature-reserve

19/01/2026

🦋💙 Save the Small Blue at Cwm Tips – Crowdfunder launched today! 💙🦋

Today we’re launching our ‘Save the Small Blue at Cwm Tips’ Crowdfunder, and we’d love your support.

Cwm Tips, near Beddau, is one of the most important wildlife sites in the South Wales Valleys. It supports over 600 species of invertebrates, including more than 50 species of bees, rare millipedes, orchids, and threatened butterflies. Among the most special is the Small Blue butterfly - our smallest butterfly species, and one of the few inland populations in the region.

However, the flower-rich grasslands that this butterfly depends on have declined over the past decade due to scrub encroachment and invasive species, particularly Cotoneaster. Without action, vital habitat - including the Kidney Vetch the Small Blue needs to survive - will continue to be lost.

If we reach our target, this crowdfunder will enable us to:

🌼 Restore flower-rich grassland
✂️ Tackle invasive species and scrub
🦋 Safeguard habitat for the Small Blue and other rare wildlife
🌿 Protect a site that matters for both nature and the local community

Even a small donation will make a real difference. If you’re unable to donate, sharing the page is just as valuable and helps spread the word.

👉 Support the crowdfunder here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/save-the-small-blue-at-cwm-tips

Not able to donate via Crowdfunder? Get in touch with us and we’ll help you find another way to support the project.

Together, we can make sure the Small Blue - and the special wildlife of Cwm Tips - has a future. 💚