Project Overview
From 2023-2025, we ran a nature recovery project called ‘A Connected Peninsula and the Centre for Nature Recovery’ as part of a long-term plan to connect up wildlife habitat across the St Davids Peninsula and turn The Bug Farm into a nature reserve.
The project helped to plug gaps in the fragmented habitat corridor across the St Davids Peninsula, to strengthen the resilience of the Peninsula’s network of protected land, supporting nature’s recovery, while actively encouraging community engagement through the development of The Bug Farm Nature Recovery Centre.
What we did:
- Preserved 3 listed buildings for synanthropic wildlife.
- Created habitat in 3 modern buildings for synanthropic wildlife.
- Replaced 2 wooden buildings and sited 1 new wooden building for synanthropic wildlife.
- Surveyed 80.96ha, identifying key gaps in marsh fritillary habitat across the St Davids Peninsula.
- Identified an additional 7.37ha of suitable marsh fritillary habitat and 26.61ha that could be made suitable if it contained Devil’s-bit scabious or management were altered slightly.
- Collaborated with additional 9 private landowners and 2 existing landowners.
- Started the process of bringing 26.61ha of key locations of marshy grassland into better management.
- Mapped project land with thermal drone and identified marsh fritillary release sites and Devil’s-bit scabious key planting sites.
- Planted 4,360 plug plants of Devil’s-bit scabious.
- Created an additional 2ha of Good Condition marsh fritillary habitat, the key missing habitat on the Peninsula, vital for a successful marsh fritillary reintroduction.
- Created a new 0.81ha mosaic of heath and marshy grassland
- Dug 3 succeeded ponds as a corridor for SAC designated species (e.g. the small red damselfly).
- Applied for and were granted a species reintroduction licence for marsh fritillary butterflies to the St Davids Peninsula
- Created a ‘Nature Recovery Centre’ – an exhibition space about our relationship with food, farming and nature in the past, present and future.
- Created habitat in the Nature Recovery Centre for synanthropic wildlife.
- Delivered nature recovery education to 29,719 people at The Bug Farm
This project is funded by the Nature Networks Programme. It is being delivered by the Heritage Fund, on behalf of the Welsh Government. The fund aims to strengthen the resilience of Wales’ network of protected land and marine sites, supporting a green recovery for nature and communities. Project partners are: Dr Beynon’s Bug Farm and Penweathers Farm, working alongside other landowners and land managers across the Peninsula.
The follow-on project is called ‘Stepping Stones for Species: Innovative Nature Recovery in Wales’ and, through this project, we will:
- Develop a cutting-edge, 100-seater Nature Recovery Teaching Centre
- Reintroduce the marsh fritillary butterfly to the St Davids Peninsula
- Work with vets, farmers and the general public to address the non-target impacts of pet wormers/flea treatments and livestock parasiticides on wildlife
- Develop The Nature Recovery Trust
- Work with landowners and graziers to further link up wildlife habitat across the Peninsula…and much, much more!
Reports
Linked projects
Marsh Fritillary Project (Phase 1)
Bringing back the marsh fritillary butterfly to the St Davids peninsula
