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| Boardwalk at Cors Bodeilio made from recycled plastic |
After a free lunch of local meat burgers and delicious cake arranged by the LIFE project at Cors Erddreiniog we hopped back on the mini bus and traveled to Cors Bodeilio. The site lies in a shallow valley between Llangefni and Pentraeth. The water that feeds the fen comes down through the surrounding Carboniferous limestone rock, this water is what makes the underlying mire so special. With a variety of wetland fen species many of these being quite rare and only found at a few sites in the UK the reserve is within a designated SSSI, is also a RAMSAR site and is also a SAC.
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| Some of the ponies that graze the site |
In the past the calcium rich water was diverted away from the fen resulting in the site becoming derelict. However, with various management strategies by CCW the site has returned to its former glory. An adjustable u-bend pipe system has been created to adjust the water level of the fen. During heavy ra
infall (pretty much all the time in wales!!) the pipe can be lowered to lower the water level at the site and also helps prevent flooding in neighbouring fields.
The site is grazed with Welsh Mountain ponies to ensure that natural fen vegetation can thrive, if the site was not grazed a thick thatch of the sedge Cladium mariscus would form taking nutrients and preventing light penetrating lower canopies.
Wildlife
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| Succisa pratensis also known as Devils-bit can be found at the site |
The fen provides a habitat for many species such as great fen sedge and bottle brush sedge. It is also home to some rarer species including the dwarf stonewort and the Fly Orchid. Invertebrates thrive at the site such as dragon flies and grasshopper warblers and also the the medicinal leech. There are two pairs of Lapwings at the site and is also one of two sites on Anglesey where Snipe can be found. A list of other plants and animals which inhabit the site can be found here.
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