Parc Penallta Phase 1 Habitat Survey and Implications for Management

Abstract

Parc Penallta is a relatively new country park located within Caerphilly County Borough, carved from a former coal tip, for which a management plan has not yet been devised. The objective of this project has been to carry out a Phase 1 habitat survey of Parc Penallta, in order to produce an up-to-date Phase 1 habitat map which will assist park management in formulating their management plan and in determining where to focus conservation effort in the future. The completed map – created using GIS software - shows a variety of different habitat types within Parc Penallta consisting of a variety of different types of woodland and grassland, with areas of scrub and bracken and a number of water bodies. Each of these different types of habitat requires specific management to ensure their continued quality and conservation value. From comparisons with the Habitat Survey of Wales it is clear that habitats within the park have changed significantly in the last three decades, whether due to landscaping, planting, agricultural improvement or natural succession. Rare species such as the Marsh Fritillary butterfly and the Deptford Pink are found in the park; a testament to the importance of appropriate management in order to protect the habitats for these important species. The Phase 1 methodology however is not without its limitations, which are largely due to the subjective nature of the method and the associated observer error, as well as the possibility of errors with digitising and the use of aerial photos as guidance. It is therefore recommended that other habitat surveys such as an Extended Phase 1 survey – which takes into account species abundance – and a National Vegetation Classification survey, along with further GIS analysis, be carried out in order to support and increase the accuracy of the Phase 1 habitat map produced for this project.

Date of Award	2013
Original language	English
Supervisor	Robert Morgan (Supervisor)