Latterly, he was Chair of the Countryside Council for Wales and then a board member of the newly-formed Natural Resources Wales. In 2000 he became founder and head of WWF Cymru. Morgan's passion for the countryside and wildlife of Wales led to him working as a warden for nature reserves in North Wales and to becoming the Director of the North Wales Wildlife Trust. With his untimely death at the age of only 56 Wales has been robbed of one of its most committed and able environmentalists. It was with great sadness that we attended the funeral of Morgan Parry on 14th January. Natural Resources Wales is determined to stop this trespass and we are working to make sure it ceases.” January 2014 - Morgan Parry This activity is completely unacceptable and damages wildlife, farming and the quiet enjoyment of the countryside pursued by the vast majority of visitors. “These special moorlands are a part of our natural and cultural heritage here in Wales. Natural Resources Wales, who have the statutory duty to protect these wildlife sites and manage many of the forest plantations in this area, are working closely with the Police, Denbighshire Countryside Service and landowners to try and prevent this damaging trespass.ĭavid Smith of Natural Resources Wales said: Anyone found to be causing damage to the site is likely face legal proceedings we would encourage walkers and other in the area to let us know if they see any illegal activity.” It is an offence to cause damage to these important conservation sites. “We are taking these incidents very seriously. North Wales Police Wildlife Crime Officer Sgt Rob Taylor said: These activities also have a direct impact on the livelihood of the local farming community through damage to fences and gates which apart from the financial burden of repairing, allows livestock to wander, making some areas difficult to manage. The land also absorbs large amounts of rainwater which it the gradually releases acting as a natural flood defence in times of heavy rainfall. In good condition, peat can store carbon which prevents it from entering the atmosphere, therefore helping combat climate change. The damage being caused to the area poses a real threat to the enjoyment of visitors to the area that provide a boost to the local economy.Īs well as providing excellent recreation opportunities and supporting important wildlife these upland sites provide an important service for people. The damaged areas also sit within the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), a UK designation that recognises the importance of the character and natural beauty of the landscape. These areas also provide a home to a whole host of rare birdlife, such as the hen harrier, merlin, peregrine falcon, golden plover, curlew, red grouse and black grouse, many of which are vulnerable to disturbance throughout the year. They are protected for important habitats such as blanket bog, holding heather and cotton grass on deep peat and dry heath as well as heather and bilberry on shallow soils. Special moorlands like these are protected by UK and European law and are designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs). If anyone sees any incidents or would like to report any illegal driving on these sites, please contact North Wales Police on the 101 phone number. Left - the illegal driving of 4x4 vehicles does immense damage to the fragile habitats of Wales. These protected sites are extremely fragile and highly vulnerable to damage caused by a reckless and irresponsible minority, who are determined to pursue their illegal activities regardless of their impacts on wildlife, landscape and the farming community. Below: Illegal off-road driving damages Protected SitesĪfter a recent spate of illegal trespassing by 4x4 vehicles across the Berwyn, Ruabon and Llantysilio mountains Natural Resources Wales is appealing for information from witnesses to prevent further serious damage to key protected areas.
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