As you have probably realised from the lack of news, Western Power Distribution
have still to lodge their planning application for the reservoir site. First
we were told it would be in December, then in February and then in late-April.
Now we hear that their application is likely to be submitted sometime in July.
The more cynical amongst us believe this is a deliberate ploy by Western Power
Ð to submit the application near the start of the school holidays when many
people will be away and therefore fewer people will be around to oppose their
housing scheme. If this happens, it is imperative that those of us who are here
really make our presence felt. It is also important that we rally as much support
in the next few weeks as possible. RAG membership has already topped the 750
mark, but the more members we can recruit the more powerfully we can oppose
Western Power's application to build a housing estate on Llanishen reservoir.
On the reverse of this newsletter is our usual membership form. Please encourage
any friends or neighbours who are concerned about the destruction of our beautiful
reservoirs and have yet to join RAG to do so as soon as possible.
During the last few months the RAG planning group has been working on alternative
plans for the reservoir site. This would involve retaining the whole site as
a public amenity and developing facilities for wildlife, water sports, fishing,
cycling and quiet enjoyment of the countryside. We believe it is important to
demonstrate an alternative vision for the area that will benefit the people
of Cardiff and does not involve its destruction as part of yet another housing
development. We will make further information available shortly.
The early months of the year have turned up some interesting wildlife records
which we are carefully monitoring. Amongst the birds we had numerous sightings
of unusual gulls including several Mediterranean gulls, at least two little
gulls, and a glaucous gull. The highlight, however, was on the 2nd April when
a migrating osprey turned up for a short period. This bird was seen fishing
and being mobbed by gulls before it finally departed. Other bird records of
note are a little egret on 2nd January, a sandwich tern on 27th March a sedge
warbler on 7th May and a dunlin on 8th May. Since the beginning of May we have
started to compile a database of plants found at the reservoirs. We have already
found two previously unrecorded orchid species: early purple orchid and common
twayblade orchid. Both are locally uncommon and are on the Cardiff 'Red Data
List' of rare and endangered species. If you have access to the internet, and
are interested in following wildlife events at the reservoirs log in to www.LlanishenRag.com
and click on the link to 'Latest Wildlife'. Please also forward any records
of your own by email to ecology@LlanishenRag.com or by telephoning 20752673.
Regular visitors to the reservoirs will have noticed that walking permits are now only being issued until the end of October Ð annual permits are no longer available. This rather ominous development suggests that there may be no public access when the current permits expire. If you are not presently a regular visitor to the reservoirs - go and see what we will be losing. You do not need to buy a permit in advance, if you are stopped by one of the rangers you can buy a permit on the spot. The cost for the summer permit is £4.00.