Saving our limestone grasslands: Small actions, big impacts

As summer slips into autumn, it’s a perfect moment to reflect on the bright, buzzing months just past. Sunshine and warm weather brought life to our limestone grasslands – rare, species-rich habitats alive with wildflowers, bees, butterflies, and the hum of grasshoppers.

Limestone Grassland, Wildflowers and Grasses, Rhyd y Foel; Pen y Corddyn Bach

Through the Limestone Grassland Community Roots Project, we’ve spent the summer connecting with communities in Colwyn Bay, Llysfaen, Llanddulas and Rhyd-y-Foel. From event stalls to guided walks to family bug hunts and wildflower searches, people have discovered just how special these grasslands are. Few realise that one square metre of limestone grassland can support up to 40 species of plants, making it one of the UK’s most diverse habitats.

Wild thyme, bird’s-foot trefoil, orchids, harebells, and mouse’s-ear hawkweed form a colourful, ankle-high tapestry, while a kaleidoscope of butterflies, burnet moths, beetles and countless other insects thrive among them. Add sweeping views of the Carneddau mountains and the Irish Sea, and these landscapes are as beautiful as they are biodiverse.

Invasive Cotoneaster smothering Limestone Grassland, Pen y Corddyn Bach

But they are also under threat. One of the biggest challenges comes from cotoneaster – an invasive non-native shrub that smothers and outcompetes our native wildflowers. Without action, it risks overwhelming these fragile grasslands.

Here’s where you can help. If you have cotoneaster in your garden, please consider removing it and planting native alternatives instead. By doing so, you’ll be helping to prevent its spread. Every small action makes a big difference – helping to protect not just the exemplar grasslands of Pen y Corddyn Bach, Craig y Forwyn and Mynydd Marian, but the rare and wonderful wildlife that depends on them.

Keep an eye on our events and newsletters for opportunities to manage cotoneaster with us. By tackling these invasive shrubs together, we’ll give native plants the space they need to grow.

Together, we can keep these rare landscapes blooming for generations to come.