Limestone Grassland Community Roots Project

Limestone Grassland Community Roots

Help Shape Our Project – Take the Short Survey

Help shape your nature project

Join the Limestone Grassland Community Roots project and be part of protecting some of North Wales’ most special wild places near Llanddulas — including Craig y Forwyn, Pen y Corddyn Mawr, Pen y Corddyn Bach, and Mynydd Marian.

These limestone grasslands are home to rare wildflowers, butterflies, and birds, but are under threat from invasive species like cotoneaster and the loss of traditional land management. Without action, we risk losing the incredible biodiversity and beauty of these landscapes.

We’re working with local people to restore habitats, remove invasive species, and create opportunities for learning, volunteering, and community connection. Whether you live nearby, walk your dog here, or simply care about nature, you can help shape and support this exciting new project, by taking part in our survey.

Take the Survey – Help Shape Your Project

Why do we want to protect limestone grasslands?

As the days get longer, limestone grasslands should be ablaze with colour. Bountiful swards of flowers include small scabious, kidney vetch, carline thistle, rock rose and salad burnet. Delicate bee and pyramidal orchids will be on display accompanied by thyme, stemless thistle and knap weed. An abundance of butterflies including marbled white, brown argus and silver studded blue, will visit for their rich source of nectar.

Unfortunately, this is not the case for many of our limestone grasslands. Flowers which would have once been in full bloom have been smothered and outcompeted by cotoneaster, dominating the large areas of once favorable grassland. Sadly, 90% of our semi natural grasslands have declined since the 20^th century, remaining areas are now often small in size and highly fragmented, having devastating effects on our local wildlife. To help protect our cherished habitats, we must take action for nature.

We believe that limestone grasslands disappearing from our landscapes would be a huge loss, and getting people involved in conserving them locally can have real benefits – for individuals, communities as well as our wildlife!

Limestone grassland at Minera Quarry © Simon Mills

Pyramidal orchid © Les Binns

Carline Thistle © Lin Cummins

A pair of choughs, a type of crow often found in coastal areas, with a pitch black body and bright red beak and legs, centre right of the picture. They are stood on a steep cliff with alternating patches of rock and small grassy areas, and the blue/green shade of the sea is just visible out of focus in the top left corner

Choughs at Rhiwledyn © Henry Cook

Kidney Vetch © Vaughn Matthews

Limestone grassland © Simon Mills

Volunteers © Jon Hawkins, Surrey Hills Photography

Limestone Grassland flora (Craig Y Forwyn) ©Craig Wade

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What are we doing?

This project is funded by the Welsh Government's Landfill Disposal Tax Communities Scheme, administered by the WCVA. We're excited to continue the legacy of great work delivered by volunteers and partners involved in the Limestone Grassland Restoration project.

The initial phase of the project will focus on:

Learning from the community to help shape the project and its events
Consulting with local residents, schools, and community groups to reflect their values and aspirations
Tailoring activities to ensure the project is truly community-driven and aligned with local needs

The next phase of the project will focus on:

Delivering activities and events shaped by the community
Restoring limestone grasslands by removing invasive species such as cotoneaster
Supporting the regeneration of native wildlife by creating space for natural seed banks to grow
Raising awareness of the importance of limestone grasslands through guided walks and educational outreach
Providing citizen science opportunities for the community to actively participate in monitoring and conservation efforts

Help shape our project- Take the short survey

North Wales Cotoneaster Control (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fslA8HDtMa0)

North Wales Cotoneaster Control

Join Hannah, our Limestone Grassland Restoration Project Officer, to explore how the North Wales Cotoneaster Control project has left a legacy for our ongoing mission.

Questions or want to get involved? Contact us

Hannah Everett, Cotoneaster Project Manager

Email: hannah.everett@northwaleswildlifetrust.org.uk

#cotoneaster

Identify the most dominant and invasive species of cotoneaster

Cotoneaster species are listed on the Schedule 9 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 England and Wales. Although still readily available to buy, it can be planted and contained in private gardens. However it is an offence to plant or otherwise cause these species to grow in the wild. GBNNSS

Entire leaved cotoneaster (C. integrifolius)

Entire leaved Cotoneaster ©Illustrations by Lizzie Harper at www.lizzieharper.co.uk copyright 2023

Evergreen low growing shrub
Leaves: small elliptical, dark green and hairs underside
Flowers: white, purple anthers
Berries: late summer crimson colour, holds throughout winter

Himalayan cotoneaster (C. simonsii)

©Illustrations by Lizzie Harper copyright 2023 Himalayan cotoneaster

Large hardy upright evergreen shrub
Leaves: small none serrated, alternate along stem, glossy hairless upper and slight hairs on lower surface
Flowers: pale pink, red patch centre of petal
Berries: slightly larger, orange-red in clusters

Hollyberry cotoneaster (C. bullatus)

Hollyberry cotoneaster Illustrations by Lizzie Harper at www.lizzieharper.co.uk copyright 2023

Much larger deciduous shrub up to 4 metres
Leaves: matt green, oval and pointed, indented veins growing alternate on stem
Flowers: pink, 5 petal, white anthers
Berries: bright red, large slight square-shaped

Small leaved cotoneaster (C. microphyllus)

©Illustrations by Lizzie Harper at www.lizzieharper.co.uk copyright 2023 Small leaved cotoneaster

Evergreen low-lying shrub
Leaves: glossy green top, grey/white underside, small (1cm length), elliptic
Flowers: solitary white, 5 petals, dark violet anthers
Berries: coral red and globular

Wall cotoneaster (C. horizontalis)

Deciduous low growing shrub: herringbone-shaped branches, stems woody dark brown, hard and knotty
Leaves: small dark green upper, pointed and shiny on both sides, red in autumn
Flowers: pink, 5 petal with white anthers
Berries: orange-red