Our story
by Councillor Dr Mo Misra, Chair of the Biodiversity Committee at Llandough Community Council
The village of Llandough has become a hub of biodiversity activity in South Wales. Its 61-plot allotment is already successfully implementing measures to support the natural environment, including bird and bee boxes and planting initiatives. Its regular 'bio blitzes' to monitor and record wildlife ensure biodiversity in the area are thriving.
The work by the biodiversity group at the allotments inspired Llandough Community Council to take a new, innovative approach to the disused tennis court on the other side of the village. Having become an over-grown eyesore, the tennis court is taking on a new life as Llandough's new bird sanctuary.
Providing a peaceful haven for the native bird population, the tennis court will have its netting and fence repaired to keep people out, ensuring the area is not too noisy for nesting, whilst still allowing for hedgehogs and other small wildlife to come and go through the habitat.
There will be a number of bird feeders and bird boxes located across the court area, positioned close to the woodland to provide the best possible habitats for local birds including robins, wrens, starling and even tawny owls. Bee and butterfly boxes will also be installed to attract a diverse range of wildlife.
On the opposite side, a 'viewing box' will be erected, allowing local residents to quietly sit and watch the birds without disturbing their environment.
The bird boxes will be regularly monitored by the Community Council's Biodiversity Committee to ensure they are providing the best habitat to support the local bird population.
Our advice
We were inspired by the work carried out by the biodiversity group at Llandough Allotments, and we have ensured that members from that team are also members of our team at the Community Council, helping to bring the bird sanctuary to life. They have years of experience implementing, monitoring, and maintaining biodiversity initiatives and their input has been invaluable.
I would always advise talking to, or working with, others who have experience in the field. Their knowledge and passion will help you to take your project to the next level. We've been able to ask the allotment team about the best places to position the bird boxes and how to make the sanctuary as attractive to the local bird population as we can. We are following their lead to ensure success.
You need enthusiastic people on board and a genuine willingness to change and take on challenges. There will be hurdles that you'll come across in any biodiversity project, whether it is permissions, funding, or resources, but persistence is key. There are so many opportunities for us to promote biodiversity where we live, but it's about having people with the right vision and drive to make them a reality.
Projects like these are so worthwhile. Not only do they promote a rich and diverse natural environment that is good for the planet, but they also support the health and well-being of our local community who can watch the local wildlife thrive.
Our metrics
The Biodiversity Committee at Llandough Community Council will undertake regular audits of the bird boxes, recording their findings and developing strategies to improve success if needed. The data collected will be compared year on year, allowing us to identify the variety of birds and wildlife using the sanctuary and any trends that emerge.
