Autumn delight

Roger James explains the secrets of a remakable wildlife paradise buried in the heart of the city of Newport. It's only a mile from the Civic Centre in the middle of the city but relatively unknown to the people of Newport. It was pleasure for me and my staff to explore the mist shrouded woods and ponds this morning.     Allt-yr-Yn Local Nature Reserve is the site of a Lido and encompasses ancient canal ponds and a meadow that has never been ploughed. It contains a rich mix of orchids and fungi.         The reserve is used to introduce local schoolchildren to natural woodland. An area has been preparedas an outdoor classroom. The path through the woods and meadow is popular with dog walkers.     Roger said today that the area's name should by changed from Allt yr yn (A slope of Ashes) to Allt y dim (Slope of nothing) is all the ash trees die back.

The reserve contains a variety of habitats including ponds, ancient woodland and species rich grassland.  The reserve is a Local Nature Reserve,  owned by Newport City Council.  Gwent Wildlife Trust assist with management.   Spring brings a good display of woodland flowers.  In summer the unimproved meadows are home to a variety of interesting flowers including common spotted orchid, meadow vetchling, ox-eye daisy, broad leaved helleborine and adder's tongue fern.  The ponds teem with invertebrate life such as water boatmen, beetles and pond skaters.  Frogs and smooth newts breed here.