Aberbargoed Grasslands facts for kids

Aberbargoed Grasslands is a special natural area in the Rhymney Valley in South Wales. It is known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. In 2012, it also became a national nature reserve. This happened mainly because of the many marsh fritillary butterflies that live there. The land is looked after by Caerphilly County Borough.

What is Aberbargoed Grasslands Like?

This special place covers about 42.5 hectares. To give you an idea, one hectare is about the size of an international rugby field. The grasslands are on a slope that faces southwest. They are about 1 kilometer (or 0.6 miles) from the town of Bargoed.

Some parts of this area were once used as farmland. But the land was never fully drained. This means it stayed wet, which is perfect for many types of wildlife.

Rare Grasslands and Butterflies

The lowland grasslands here are very rare in Great Britain. This makes the area extra important. The marsh fritillary butterfly is a special kind of butterfly. It has lost many of its homes over time. But a large group of these butterflies lives at Aberbargoed Grasslands.

The butterflies were a main reason why this site became a nature reserve. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) decided this. In 2009, some of their habitat was damaged by a fire. But the butterflies have recovered. The site also became a reserve because of its special Molinia meadows. These are wet grasslands with a type of grass called purple moor-grass.

Types of Land at the Reserve

The JNCC looked closely at the grasslands. They found that:

• About 48% is humid and mesophile grassland. This means it's often wet but not flooded.
• About 30% is deciduous woodland. These are forests where trees lose their leaves in autumn.
• About 12.8% is shrubland. This area has many bushes and shrubs.
• The rest of the area has dry grassland, bogs (wet, spongy ground), buildings, and water.

History of the Reserve

In 2012, Aberbargoed Grasslands became the first national nature reserve in the Caerphilly County Borough. It was also the first reserve in Wales to be in a town area. Most other reserves are usually in the countryside or by the coast.

John Griffiths, who was a government minister, officially opened the new reserve. Caerphilly Council said the area is very important for South Wales. This is because it's so close to towns and cities.

Most of this area is also a Special Area of Conservation. This is a special protection given by the European Union under something called the Habitats Directive. It helps protect important natural habitats and species across Europe.