In 2021 Salix were brought in to assist in improving the wetland habitat in Caerphilly Castle in south east Wales.
One year on and what was a bare landscape, devoid of vegetation due to the large population of Canadian geese, is now a stunning, wildlife rich haven.
We first visited the site in 2021 when there were large areas of eroded soil and areas where the geese had cropped everything, preventing any wildflowers or marginal habitat from establishing.
The heavily grazed grass left the banks prone to erosion and were devoid of wildlife.
It was essential that we established some rapid plant growth as the root networks provide essential erosion control, binding the soils together.
Our solution was to use a mixture of erosion control products and native wetland plants.
In this project we accessed the banks using boats, bringing the chestnut stakes and coir rolls directly to the site works.
UK Grown Native Wetland Plants
Salix supplied and installed 700m plus of pre established Coir Rolls in an organic revetment around the toe of the moat which helps to stop erosion. The rolls were planted up with a mix of native wetland plants which are grown in our own nursery.
The native plant mix included; Lythrum salicaria, Iris pseudacorus, Juncus effussus, Carex acutiformis and Phalaris arundinacea. These plants are a mixture of pollinators and robust root structures, providing food and shelter to a wide range of invertebrates, birds and mammals as well as soil erosion control.
The work started in March 2021 and just over one year later the marginal plants are mature and flowering, transforming the site from a barren monoculture to a wildlife rich, diverse site with the stunning castle as a backdrop.
