Keep Wales Tidy

The Afonydd Glan/Clean Rivers Project was established in 1991 as the South Wales Litter Abatement Project. This was to be a pilot project focusing on developing a system of best practice for the removal and abatement of litter in the River Taff. As no one organisation is responsible for the wholesale removal of litter from river systems, a partnership approach between Keep Wales Tidy, the then National Rivers Authority, local councils, the Welsh Development Agency and Environment Wales was adopted. Early works concentrated on using contractors to remove the rubbish from the River Taff, culminating in a large-scale clearance of riverbank in 1992/3 with the removal of about 1,000 tons of litter and debris.

A reassessment of the project concluded that large-scale clean-ups were not sustainable. Thus, in 1995 the project developed to enable local communities to adopt and focus on the ongoing care of their rivers. Since then the project has expanded to cover many more catchments throughout Wales and is now called Afonydd Glan/Clean Rivers.

• The overall aim of Afonydd Glan/Clean rivers is to improve the aesthetic appearance of rivers in Wales. To do this the project works with contractors, probation services, local businesses and most importantly local community rivercare groups.
• Rivercare groups are encouraged to adopt stretches of river and produce a management plan identifying projects they would like to undertake. Projects carried out include litter clearance, Japanese Knotweed clearance, reinstating footpaths, construction of bird boxes, fishing platforms, hedge laying and general habitat improvements.
• The groups are supported by a Project Officer, who provides them with information; training and practical help to carry out projects. A small grant is available to help groups purchase equipment that they need.

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Kenfig National Nature Reserve

Kenfig National Nature Reserve is a large 66 ha calcareous hindshore-type dune system located on the south eastern shoreline of Swansea Bay. The reserve supports an exceptionally rich suite of habitats and species and in addition to being a SSSI (1954) and National Nature Reserve (1989), it is a candidate Special Area of Conservation under the EU Habitats and Species Directive.

The reserve is notable in a European context for its extensive areas of species-rich dune grassland and dune slack habitats. Kenfig Pool is a rare example of a hard meso-oligotrophic lake with a benthic flora of Charophytes. Two species are listed under Annex II of the Habitats Directive, Liparis loeselii and Petalophyllum ralfsii.

The site is owned by the Kenfig Corporation Trust and managed by Bridgend County Borough Council in consultation with the Countryside Council for Wales. Other leaseholders include Kenfig Hill and District Anglers Association and the Kenfig Society (archaeologists). The reserve is one of the few NNRs in the UK under local authority management.

Habitat management is achieved by grazing with sheep and tractor cutting in selected places. Populations of rabbits help maintain short vegetation in some small areas. Natural mobility of the dunes has declined and the site has well under 2% bare sand. Maintaining early successional habitats is now a major management objective.

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Kenfig Society

The Society was founded in 1989 and has a membership of about 120. Its objects are to encourage the study of the history and natural history of the locality. Meetings are held monthly in the Life Centre in Pyle. At each meeting, a talk is arranged on some relevant aspect of history or natural history. In addition, trips and walks are arranged to various sites of interest.

The Society publishes a Newsletter several times each year and also, from time to time, publishes monographs on various aspects of local history. There is currently an archaeological dig being undertaken near the site of the medieval town of Kenfig and other local history projects are also in hand The Society is also building an archive of material of relevance to the history of the area, which is available for reference to members.

The present day village of Kenfig (Cynffig in Welsh) dates from the 17th century but its origins go back at least to the 12th century when a castle was built nearby, by the Normans. Subsequently a substantial town grew-up around the castle, which flourished until the 15th century, when the continual influx of sand eventually caused the town to be abandoned. More information about the area and the Society can be found at www.kenfigsociety.supanet.com. Members of the Society would be happy to answer reasonable queries on the history of the area and the Society can be found at www.kenfigsociety.supanet.com.