Some of our non-natural ecosystem components have important roles to play, not only in hosting a relatively rich biodiversity compared to some of their natural/semi-natural counterparts, but also in the education of children. Most children in the UK live in urban environments surrounded by non-natural habitats and with limited opportunities to visit more distant semi-natural nature reserves, even if it occurred to them. If these children are going to grow up caring about the fauna and flora of Wales, they must be given the opportunity to engage with, learn about, and value the wildlife on their doorsteps. The future of the semi-natural habitats in Wales will depend on future generations learning to value them and the non-natural parks, gardens and brownfield sites in our towns and cities have a key role to play in this. Several of these important non-natural ecosystem components are described in the sections below.
Non-natural ecosystem components
Urban terrestrial habitats
Urban terrestrial habitats are undervalued, both for their current natural history importance and as a teaching resource. There is no more powerful illustration of habitat succession than the image of nature reclaiming a former industrial site. In fact, brownfield sites and abandoned industrial areas are important both as reference points for our cultural history and…
Constructed waterways and standing waters
The category includes canals, drains and ditches, reservoirs, dams and ornamental lakes and ponds. All of these can provide havens for wildlife in built-up or heavily modified landscapes. Many ornithologists, for example, cultivated their interest as children at their local reservoir. Canals and drainage ditches are particularly important refuges for aquatic plants and invertebrates, and…
Forestry plantations
Most forestry plantations in Wales are on higher ground and valley sides, and typically comprise varieties of non-native species such as larch, pine or spruce. Some forestry areas, such as Coed-y-Brenin and the Afan Valley have developed into centres for outdoor leisure activities such as trail biking, orienteering, cross-country running etc. Others are developing a…