The Trust is delighted to see the ongoing progress of the Sands of LIfe project at the Reserve. Sands of LIFE (SoLIFE) (LIFE17 NAT/UK/000023) is a major conservation project, led by NRW and supported by the EU LIFE fund, which will restore threatened sand dune sites across Wales. The project will run until December 2022.
The current work of the SoLIFE project is to create dune slack scrapes and clear scrub at the Reserve.
This action will help diversify areas of ‘Humid dune slacks’ (H2190) habitat at Kenfig Burrows. The work will involve the shallow scraping of two areas of mature dune slack to remove the organic top-soil. The scrapes will create areas of early successional slack habitat, providing niches for specialist species of plants and animal which require these open conditions for survival.
Encroaching trees and scrub will be removed from further areas of existing dune slack. Although native scrub is a natural component of established dune systems, it can have a negative impact on some of the more specialist sand dune flora and fauna by shading and competition, by lowering groundwater, eutrophication of soils or by preventing access for grazing animals.
The works are required at Kenfig National Nature Reserve and consists of 2 shallow scrapes. Arisings are to be inverted and disposed of nearby. There will be associated work to clear areas of encroaching native scrub. Arisings will be removed from site.
