Minutes of the Bryn Euryn Local Nature Reserve Management Advisory Group

Minutes of the Bryn Euryn Local Nature Reserve Management Advisory Group meeting held on Thursday 23rd April 2009 at the Civic Offices,
Colwyn Bay.


Present:
Cllr Dave Roberts (Chairman) (CCBC)
Cllr Philip Edwards (CCBC)
Cllr Roger Parry (CCBC)
Jeff Spencer (Clwyd and Powys Archaeological Trust (CPAT))
Trevor Williams (CCW)
Tom Gravett (Countryside and Rights of Way Manager)
Alun Jones (Countryside Warden)
Mike Klymko (Countryside Student Warden)
Helen Jowett (Senior Countryside Officer)

1. Apologies
Cllr M Thomas (CCBC)
John Osley (Countryside Council for Wales)
Ken Clarke (Colwyn Bay Civic Society)
Mike Yates (Cadw)

2. Matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting

2.1 (2.2) To update, it was reported that the Welsh Assembly has confirmed that there were no objections to the new byelaws during the public consultation period. They have now been sent to Cardiff for confirmation by the Welsh Ministers, and the Legal Section of Conwy Council has requested that this be done as soon as possible, with the hope that the byelaws will be in force in time for the summer.

2.2 (2.3) It was reported that the police CBM that covers the Bryn Euryn area had been very supportive. With it having been a wet summer there were possibly fewer problems than there may have been should the weather have been better. Despite fewer problems it was felt that the police should be encouraged to continue to visit the site.

2.3 (2.4) Tom Gravett had contacted the Parks Section for them to make contact with CPAT regarding an archaeological appraisal of the butt fields after the last meeting; however it appears no direct contact has occurred. There is now a planning application for allotments on the field and members of the group expressed their wish for an archaeological appraisal to occur prior to the allotments being given the go ahead by the Planning Department. Jeff Spencer from CPAT had looked into the history of the fields and from a 1912 map it appeared that the fields were open areas at this time. It was agreed that Jeff Spencer would contact the relevant Planning Officer dealing with the allotment application and also the Parks Department to discuss the opportunity of seeing if there is any archaeological significance to the land. (This land is actually outside of the LNR boundary).
Action: Jeff Spencer to make contact with the Planning Officer dealing with the allotment application on the Butt Fields and also the Parks Department as managers of the land, for all to discuss looking at the archaeology of the area involved.

2.4 (2.5) A new dog bin has been installed in the car park. However there is still no dog bin in by the bottom of the Butt field.
Action: Alun Jones to contact Chris Parry in Cleansing about the installation of a further dog bin and to copy the Parks Department in on any correspondence.

2.5 (3.2) The intention is still to apply for Better Woods for Wales funding for management works within the woodland areas of Bryn Euryn, however there have been delays with this scheme and the application process is proving far more complex than envisaged. The process is ongoing and is being led on by the Coed Cymru Officer within the Countryside Service of CCBC.

The minutes of the last meeting were accepted as a true record.

3. Warden’s report and review of works
Alun Jones, the Countryside Warden, gave a short illustrated presentation covering works that have taken place at the site and the review of works filled in from the management plan was discussed. Issues and points of information arising from these were:

3.1 Further scrub clearance work has been carried out again by contractors around the site. This work is carried out with funding through the Section 15 agreement that Conwy County Borough Council has entered into with the Countryside Council for Wales. The aim of this work is to encourage the growth of the limestone grassland species for which the site is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The lower meadow has been mown each year, and the woodland edges are being slowly pushed back to reduce shade over areas of grassland for which the site is designated an SSSI. Other nature conservation works funded through the section 15 agreement include the removal of invasive species such as the Evergreen Oak, through cutting and herbicide treatment.


3.2 A successful open day was organised at this site in June 2008 as part of Conwy Biodiversity week. Children from Llandrillo School were involved, there were displays within a marquee, traditional countryside crafts on demonstration, storytelling sessions up in the ruins of Llys Euryn, and guided walks during the afternoon. The event provided an opportunity for local people to come and ask questions about the management of the site.

3.3 Trevor Williams indicated in response to the review of works document that grassland survey would next be due to be carried out by CCW in 2010.

3.4 As a point of interest Cllr Roberts mentioned that there are currently 2 parrots being seen on site.

4. Tidy Towns fund – upgrading of some footpaths and site waymarking

4.1 At the last on site informal meeting the idea of upgrading some of the main paths and revamping the waymarker at the site was discussed. In order for this work to take place the Countryside Service applied for £5k from Conwy Council’s allocation of Tidy Towns funding for this year and was successful in its bid. Further funds from within the Countryside Service budget will also go towards this project for this year. Any footpath works will be carried out using materials and methods sympathetic to the natural environment.
It was suggested that for various small projects at this site the Town Council could be approached also in future years.

5. Renewal of section 15 management agreement between the Countryside Council for Wales and CCBC. Feasibility of introducing grazing to the site.
The section 15 agreement between the Countryside Council for Wales and Conwy County Borough Council which provides funding for the nature conservation management works of the SSSI at Bryn Euryn is due for renewal. The new agreement will be for a period of 5 years, providing funding as previously towards mowing some of the calcareous grassland slopes and clearance of invasive species. It will also provide funding towards the possibility of introducing a grazing regime to the site in terms of fencing requirements. It was not felt that sheep would be suitable for the site due to the numbers of dogs exercised at the site, and it would be important for public access to the site to be maintained. There was much group discussion about the idea of introducing grazing ponies or donkeys at Bryn Euryn, with the general consensus being one of support for a grazing regime, as in the long term it is a more sustainable (and cost-effective) way to manage the grasslands than annual mowing and raking off. Any grazing regime would need to be limited to certain numbers of livestock at certain times of year. Fencing to contain livestock may require Scheduled Ancient Monument consent (dependent upon location).
Action: The group agreed to the principle of management through grazing, and that proposals/options be investigated and further considered by the group.

6. Any other business
6.1 Update of year 4 and year 5 for the site management plan.
Helen Jowett explained that whilst the site management plan for Bryn Euryn LNR is completely updated every 5 years, the year by year projects at the back currently run up to year 3 of the plan, being 2008/2009. Therefore projects specific to years 2009/2010 and 2210/2011 were discussed by the group.
Action: It was agreed that the Senior Countryside Officer would send out a sheet of the year 4 and year 5 projects for members to insert into their copies of the management plan for the site.

6.2 Monitoring of trees alongside the A55
Cllr Parry questioned whether there was any monitoring of the trees carried out alongside the A55 in response to the volume of traffic. No one was aware of any monitoring of this kind.

7. Date of next meeting
Unless there is a need to call a meeting sooner, the next meeting will be held informally on site in September 2009. A precise date will be arranged nearer the time.