Biodiversity

The Heart of Wales Geopark covers an area of rough grazing land and rugged uplands, with ponds, wetlands and some of the most unspoilt rivers in the country. Some of the areas of common land, ancient hanging woodland and upland grazing are relatively undisturbed, and there is natural woodland regeneration in places. The area is home to rare birds, otters, white-clawed crayfish, numerous badgers, together with many rare lichens, plants and invertebrates. Several Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and local nature reserves are included in the geopark area.

The geology has shaped this biodiversity in many different ways. The drainage patterns and the scouring of the landscape by ice have led to many hollows that are now wetlands, some of which are ancient sites that have not been drained for farmland. The craggy uplands are unsuitable for intensive farming, although the land is mostly kept open by sheep grazing; as a result, the area is rife with skylarks and peregrine falcons. The ruggedness of the landscape has discouraged intensive industry, and the resulting clean air encourages a diverse range of lichens, plants, insects and many other organisms.

The underlying geology also impacts the chemistry of the soil, allowing a wide range of species to thrive here. Although there is no significant limestone in the geopark, some of the igneous rocks contain enough calcium and other salts to enable limestone-specialist plants and insects (like the Rustyback Fern and the Maiden Pink) to live in the area—albeit tied to precise locations with the right sorts of rocks.

As one of the most rural parts of Britain, the biodiversity of the Heart of Wales is also relatively unknown, and there are still many surprises to be found in the area.