Introduction

The site in Merthyr Tydfil is proposed for development of 29 residential houses and associated infrastructure however, the site incorporates Coed Meirig Pastures SNCI horse pasture fields. The sensitive nature of the botanical diversity of the site meant a detailed vegetation survey was required to establish the extent and quality of habitats on the site.

Our role

The vegetation on this site was a complex mosaic of wet and dry grasslands and woodland with a post-industrial slag heap on the northern boundary. To get an accurate description of the complex vegetation structure we used our drones to photograph the site to gain detailed aerial imagery from which we could accurately draw the vegetation boundaries. We then used this data to ground truth the site and undertake detailed vegetation quadrates to assign NVC communities.

Results Overview

• Allowed the project to avoid the most sensitive plant communities
• Best possible mitigation developed
• NVC analysis identified the land as supporting U1 Festuca ovina - Agrostris capillaris - Rumex acetosella grassland

Full Results

The NVC analysis identified the land along the eastern boundary which sloped down into the site as supporting U1 Festuca ovina – Agrostris capillaris – Rumex acetosella grassland. A dry free draining acid grassland community. The central mosaic section was a mixture of U4 Festuca ovina – Agrostris capillaris – Galium saxatile grassland and small areas of MG10 Holcus lanatus – Juncus effusus rush-pasture. Rush-pastures are present in Coed Meirig Pastures SNCI and contribute to its designation. The lines of trees and woodland on site were classified as W10 Quercus robur – Pteridium aquilinum – Rubus fruticosus woodland.

This survey allowed the project to avoid the most sensitive plant communities and to develop the best possible mitigation for the site.