New nature reserve to be created near Gwent Levels protected site

Gwent Wildlife Trust (GWT) secured £250,000 funding to buy Bridewell Common, part of the Gwent Levels.

The trust will now create a nature reserve on the land, scheduled to be opened to the public in the spring next year.

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“We were overwhelmed by the strength of support and donations we received for our Bridewell Appeal,” GWT landscape manager Gemma Bodé said. “We cannot thank everyone enough, we asked and you all gave so generously. With every single penny we receive, regardless of how big or small, playing a vital role in helping us to reach our target.

“Bridewell Common in Magor is such an important piece in the overall wildlife jigsaw of the Gwent Levels and we felt we had to secure this important area in perpetuity, to safeguard precious wildlife that is so threatened today.

“People’s support and help has now made our vision to create a new nature reserve at Bridewell Common a reality.”

Before GWT bought Bridewell Common, initial surveys of the land had shown that rare wildlife like otters, water voles, wild flowers, butterflies, dragonflies, water beetles, and birds – including snipe, stonechat and reed bunting – were living in and around the waterways known locally as reens.

The trust now plans to enhance its newest reserve to benefit even more rare and endangered wildlife.

Support and donations to the trust’s Bridewell Appeal came from a wide range of sources and events including grants, collections, quiz nights, a wildlife festival and a book launch.

GWT staff took part in a trio of sponsored endurance events, helping to raise thousands for the Bridewell Appeal. Richard Bakere paddled a homemade coracle down the Wye, Debbie Stenner ran 90 miles over the summer, and Rob Magee cycled 100 miles, from Cardiff Castle to Bristol Castle and back.

These funds, together with a legacy left to the trust by former member Pat Gorvin, will now allow GWT to create what it called “a tranquil retreat for people and nature to enjoy together”.

Gwent Wildlife Trust are celebrating after reaching their fundraising target to buy land and create a new nature reserve on the Gwent Levels.

Thanks to huge support for the conservation charity’s recent Bridewell Appeal, Bridewell Common on the Gwent Levels is now in the care of Gwent Wildlife Trust.

In April this year, the charity set a target to raise £250,000 to help towards buying and managing the 81 acres of ecologically important land near Magor to create their latest nature reserve.

And now, thanks to the massive support Gwent Wildlife Trust received from members, grant funders and other supporters they’ve reached their appeal target. These funds, together with a legacy left to the Trust from former member Pat Gorvin, has allowed them to begin creating a wonderful new green space for nature to thrive in.

Gwent Wildlife Trust’s Gwent Levels Landscape Manager Gemma Bodé said: “We were overwhelmed by the strength of support and donations we received for our Bridewell Appeal.

“We cannot thank everyone enough, we asked and you all gave so generously, with every single penny we received regardless of how big or small, playing a vital role in helping us to reach our target.

“Bridewell Common in Magor is such an important piece in the overall wildlife jigsaw of the Gwent Levels and we felt we had to secure this important area in perpetuity, to safeguard precious wildlife that is so threatened today.

“People’s support and help has now made our vision to create a new nature reserve at Bridewell Common, a reality.”

Support and donations to the Trust’s Bridewell Appeal came in all sizes and guises including grants, collections, quiz nights, a wildlife festival and a book launch to name a few.

And as part of the fundraising campaign, in addition to their supporters, staff from the Trust also went that extra mile – literally, in some cases.

The Trust ran a Bridewell ‘Reen’-lay event which saw three members of staff taking part in sponsored challenges which raised thousands for their Bridewell Apeal.

Gwent Levels Senior Reserves Officer Richard Bakere paddled a homemade coracle down the Wye, Marketing and Membership Manager Debbie Stenner ran 90 miles over the summer and Fundraising Officer Rob Magee cycled 100 miles, from Cardiff Castle to Bristol Castle and back.

Gwent Wildlife Trust’s newest nature reserve Bridewell Common lies opposite Gwent Wildlife Trust’s flagship and oldest reserve at Magor Marsh.

Both reserves are situated within the Gwent Levels, a nationally important landscape known for its diversity of wildlife.

Bridewell Common needs to be managed for wildlife as a priority, to fully reach its potential as a nature reserve. And the Trust believe that having two of their reserves so close together will complement each other as their combined size of over 200 acres will provide a larger area for wildlife to forage, rest, retreat, live and reproduce in.

Before Gwent Wildlife Trust bought Bridewell Common, initial surveys of the land had shown that rare wildlife like Otters, Water Voles, wild flowers, butterflies, dragonflies, water beetles and birds including Snipe, Stonechat and Reed Bunting, were living in and around the waterways known locally as reens.

Now with this ancient area safe in Gwent Wildlife Trust’s care they plan to enhance their newest reserve to benefit even more rare and endangered wildlife.

Tree safety works will be among the first tasks undertaken at Bridewell to ensure the safety of all future human visitors.

The charity says there is a lot of work to do and this means currently the reserve will not be open to the public until the work has been completed and the reserve has been made safe.

Gemma added: “We are now making safe the site with access provision to the Reserve. The overall plan for the land is to create a tranquil retreat for people and nature to enjoy together.”

The Trust plan to keep people updated on their plans for Bridewell Nature Reserve via their website. In the meantime, should anyone wish to visit Bridewell Common they should contact info@gwentwildlife.org or call 01600 740600.

Gwent Wildlife Trust says they are planning an official opening of Bridewell Common in the spring so everyone who supported their appeal can go along and see the area in all its glory.