Aelod o Cymdeithas Ymgyngoriaethau Ymddiriedolaethau Natur AExtract fro member of the Association of Wildlife Trust Consultancies Mae Enfys Ecology yn is-gwmni i Ymddiriedolaeth Natur Gogledd Cymru Enfys Ecology is a subsidiary of North Wildlife Trust Rhif Cwmni / Company Number 2535184 Author Amanda Beck Date 22/11/2016 Approved by Ecologist Rhian Hughes Date 24/11/2016 Report Ref: EE.141.11.16/AB Extract from :-

PRELIMINARY ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT FOR KEEP WALES TIDY Keep Wales Tidy – Preliminary Ecological Assessment Copyright Enfys Ecology 2016 Contents Contents ...... 9 4.0 Country Park ...... 14 1.0 Introduction Enfys Ecology Limited was commissioned by Keep Wales Tidy to carry out a Preliminary Ecological Assessments on eight sites in the County Borough of in . Two were parks Acton and Bellevue, four were country parks Alyn Waters, Moss Valley, and Ty Mawr, all are owned by Council. A further site Maes y Pant is owned and run by local residents called the Maes y Pant Action Group and the eighth site, Quarry, is owned by North Wales Wildlife Trust. The aim of the survey was to obtain ecological data on the habitats and species present on each of the eight sites. Identifying any possible ecological management practices and enhancements that maybe required at each locality to ensure future wider community use and involvement in creating outdoor space by forging partnerships between local residents and organisations while protecting the most threatened species and habitats listed under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP). Enfys Ecology carried out visits to the sites and the a brief survey, looking at what would be examined in an extended Preliminary Ecological Assessment (PEA) was carried out on each of the eight sites. Due to the time of year and the scope of the works a full PEA was not undertaken. To enhance the site visit information, a request and examination of local ecological records held by Cofnod, (the North Wales Ecological Record Centre) was carried out for some of the sites, with additional ecological data which was obtained from Wrexham County Borough Council used for the remainder of the sites. 4.0 Alyn Waters Country Park 4.1 Alyn Water Country Park Survey area Alyn Waters Country Park is the largest of Wrexham County Borough Council parks being 3 miles north of Wrexham. Grid reference SJ332549, it is approximately between 79 to 87 meters above sea level. Originally a Landfill site it was restored to a country park in 1989. Sitting either side are the villages of and with the running in between. The A451 Mold Road runs alongside the south boundary of Gwersyllt and off Park Road the B5425 to the east boundary of Llay. The Friends of Alyn Waters community group work with park staff to maintain and improve it. The park covers 152 hectares. Both sides have amenity grass with Llay the largest area of open grassland for football, exercising the dog, community fun days, wildflower fields and breeding Skylarks (Alauda arvensis). Grassland species observed: Hawkweed (Hieracium), Red Clover (Trifolium pratense), Plantain (Plantago lanceolata), Daisies (Bellis perennis), Buttercups (Ranunculus), Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) and Yarrow (Achillea millefolium). With other species growing in corners or on glade edges. Musk Mallow (Malva moschata), Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria), White dead nettle (Lamium album), Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris), Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris), Field scabious (Knautia arvensis), Red campion (Silene dioica), thistles, St Johns Wort (Hypericum perforatum), Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum), Wild Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) and Lesser Burdock (Arctium minus). There is a mixture of broadleaf woodland of Willow (Salix repens), Birch (Betula pendula), and Wild Cherry (Prunus avium) favoured in the Nature Reserve wood and Aspen (Populus tremula) with broadleaf species in the community wood. Many of the mature trees have dense ivy (Hedera) adorned on their trunks and branches with areas of natural tree regeneration occurring. Open grassland glade Llay The River Alyn banks Gwerysllt Tree species present: Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), Silver birch, Beech (Fagus sylvatica), Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), Common Oak (Quercus robur), Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia), Hazel (Corylus avellana), Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), Apple trees (Malus). There is a playground on both sides with a Visitors centre, rooms for hire, café, toilets, shop, sculpture trail, golf range and permit fishing with Pedal Power cycling training and hire available on the Gwerysllt side. The park has a trim trail where calories are worked out for how far you jog or walk. Both sides of the park have seating and picnic benches. Main pathways are tarmacked and ideal for wheelchairs and mobility scooters there is however steep terrain and mud tracks in some areas. Either side of walkways are grass verges with scrub, Bramble (Rubus fruticosus), Meadow sweet (Filipendula ulmaria), Docks (Rumex), Wild Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum), Rosebay willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium), Hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium) and nettles (Urtica dioica). In some sections of the park you walk through dense woodland with Bracken (Pteridium), Wood Avens (Geum urbanum), Gorse (Ulex), Cotoneaster and Oak moss (Evernia prunastri) lichen adorning tree branches, Birch fungi (Piptoporus betulinus) clinging onto trunks and a group of Field horsetails (Equisetum arvense) leaning against a boundary fence. The dense tree cover opens up into areas of grassland glades where Broom (Genisteae) is growing sporadically along woodland edges. A wetland woodland flush along the River Alyn is dominated by mature willow (Salix babylonica), and Alder (Alnus glutinosa) with rushes (Juncus inflexus), (Typha), sedges (Carex pendula), mosses and ferns (Thelypteris palustris), (Dryopteris filix-maes) thriving. There is evidence of soil erosion to the river bank. Dead wood near wet woodland Thick scrub of bramble along pathway Mature hedgerows are of Hazel, Hawthorn and wild rose with a mixture of recently planted young saplings with rabbit guards on surround the Llay Sky Larks breeding meadow. 4.2 Protected and notable species: In total Wrexham County Borough Council holds 8 records of legally protected or UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP) species within the survey area, of which 5 were of European Protected Species and 1 was a bird. Within the survey area there is 1 record of an amphibian, the Great Crested Newt. Other protected species recorded in the survey site include 3 species of bat and 1 species of vascular plant. 4.3 Table 1: Summary of protected and notable species within the survey area. Terrestrial Mammals Species Designation Details Soprano Pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) Bern, Bonn, EPS, HDir, RD2(UK), S42, WCA5, LBAP 1 record, September 2010 last sighting. Common Pipistrelle bat (Pipistellus pipistrellus) Bern, Bonn, EPS, Hdir, RD2(UK), S42, WCA5, LBAP 1 record, September 2010 last sighting. Daubenton’s bat (Myotis daubentonii) BAP, Bern, Bonn, EPS, Hdir, RD2(UK), S42, WCA5, LBAP 1 record September 2010 last sighting. Water Vole (Arvicola amphibious) BAP, S7, WCA5, LBAP 1 record May 2001 Otter (Lutra lutra) BAP, Bern, CITES, EPS, HDir, RD1 & RD2 (UK), S42, WCA5, LBAP 19 records, July 2002 last sighted. Amphibians Species Designation Details Great Crested Newt (Triturus cristatus) BAP, Bern, EPS, HDir, RD1(UK), RD2(UK), S7, WCA5, LBAP 2 records, last seen May 2011 Reptiles Species Designation Details Grass snake (Natrix natrix) BAP, Bern, S42, WCA5, LBAP 15 records, last sighting 2012. Birds Species Designation Details Skylark (Alauda arvensis) Bern, Bonn, WCA6, BDir1, LBAP 8 records breeding population last recorded May 2012. Seen on site during survey 2016. Vascular plant Species Designation Details Field Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) BAP, LBAP 1 record June 2011, seen during survey 2016. 4.4 Invasive species on site: Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster) Seen during survey 2016 Himalyan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) 2011 record Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) 2007 record