Caeau Ffos Fach facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
| Area of Search | Carmarthenshire |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°47′23″N 4°04′02″W / 51.789747°N 4.0671203°W |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 12.49 ha |
| Notification | 30 March 1984 |
Caeau Ffos Fach is a special natural area in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Part of this area is a nature reserve. It is owned by the charity Butterfly Conservation. They protect the area mainly because of a rare butterfly called the marsh fritillary.
Contents
What is Caeau Ffos Fach?
Caeau Ffos Fach is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means it is a very important place for nature. It is one of three areas that form a larger protected zone. This bigger area is called Caeay Mynydd Mawr Special Area of Conservation. The other two areas are Caeau Lotwen and Broad Oak and Thornhill Meadows.
Where is Caeau Ffos Fach Located?
This special area is found near the town of Ammanford in Wales. It covers about 0.17 square kilometers. There is also a private farm called Greengrove Farm within the site.
Why is Caeau Ffos Fach Important?
Caeau Ffos Fach is very important because of the marsh fritillary butterfly. This butterfly is quite rare. Because of these butterflies, the site was made a National Nature Reserve. The charity Butterfly Conservation owns this reserve. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) also helps to look after the site. The reserve first opened in 2003.
How is the Reserve Managed?
Since 2006, cows have been brought to the area. They help by eating the grass and plants. This grazing helps keep the land healthy for the butterflies. Volunteers also help every year. They clear away unwanted plants. This work has helped the number of marsh fritillary butterflies grow.
The Butterfly Conservation group also leases another area nearby. This is part of Median Farm. It is about 10 hectares in size. This shows how much effort goes into protecting these butterflies.
Marsh Fritillary Butterfly Surveys
In the mid-1990s, a group called the Countryside Council for Wales studied the marsh fritillary butterflies. This group is now part of NRW. Their survey found that Caeau Ffos Fach had the most butterflies in the Dinefwr area. Almost half of all butterfly sightings were in this one spot. This shows how vital Caeau Ffos Fach is for these special insects.
