Long recognised as one of Wales’s most important historic and cultural sites, the Dinefwr Estate, in Camarthenshire, Wales, has now also been recognised as one of its most important sites in the UK for wildlife.
Already a Site of Special Scientific Interest, Dinefwr is now designated a National Nature Reserve (NNR) by the Countryside Council for Wales - the first parkland in Wales to achieve this status.
© NTPL / Andrew Butler
John Lloyd Jones, Chairman of the Countryside Council for Wales said:
'It is fitting that Dinefwr is Wales’ first parkland to be given NNR status. It reflects the Estate’s outstanding natural features and the excellent work being done by the National Trust and the Wildlife Trust for South and West Wales to manage these features so that we can all enjoy them.'
Across the landscape of Dinefwr scores of ancient oaks stand stately on the horizon. It is these trees and the organisms that depend on them that make this place so special for wildlife.
History of Dinefwr
Untouched for hundreds of years, Dinefwr was originally a deer-park and home to some unusual, interesting and rare creatures. After six centuries of continuous family ownership the estate was broken up in the 1970s to meet death duties, but since 1986 the National Trust has been trying to piece back together the core of Dinefwr and safeguard the landscape.
© NTPL / Andrew Butler
Iwan Huws, the National Trust’s Director in Wales said:
'The large numbers of old trees on which the wildlife interests depend, reflect management continuity over at least the last five hundred years, making this a truly historic place.
The recently expanded herd of ancient White Park Cattle are also a key feature of Dinefwr, linking it back to the native welsh rulers of Medieval times. This designation recognises the special approach to management adopted by the National Trust in recent years and our commitment to work together for continuous improvement.
We look forward to welcoming visitors from all over the world to enjoy and explore this stunning site.'
Dinefwr's invertebrates
Dinefwr’s lichen and insect populations are exceptional. More than 160 lichens and hundreds of rare insects have been recorded. Some of the oaks on the estate are around 700 years old.
These old trees are left to die slowly providing vital habitat for hundreds of insects. Over 400 species of beetle have been found at Dinefwr, making it one of the best sites in the UK for invertebrates that depend on deadwood.
Vital conservation work is already underway at Dinefwr as part of a project to restore the original landscape design. Poplar and conifer plantations have been removed, traditional fencing has been reinstated and young saplings have been planted to ensure a sufficient supply of deadwood in the future.
Dinefwr walk
As part of the celebrations, the National Trust has put together a new walk, taking in the best of the new National Nature Reserve.
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