The Wild Gardens, a small patch of woodland at the top of Roath Park, Cardiff, is a remnant of old wood incorporated into the park in Edwardian times. The vision was to give the people of Cardiff an opportunity to experience wildflowers, trees, and the associated wildlife.
Today it is home to woodpeckers, owls, treecreepers, long tailed tits, the occasional kingfisher, as well as the more common robins, blackbirds, crows, and a passing sparrow hawk. It is also well known for its diverse range of fungi.
We have been giving the management plan, based on self-regeneration, a helping hand.
We began by clearing Cherry Laurel and invasive bamboo. Bird boxes have been put up which have been funded by the Council’s Biodiversity Community Grant Scheme, including a splendid woodpecker box. A number of the trees in the wood are reaching the end of their natural life so, with the support of Coed Caerdydd, we have planted oak, beech, rowan, holly and alder whips.
What have we learnt so far? A small urban wood can be a wild space that enables people to connect with wildlife on their doorstep and in the middle of their busy lives. Despite what some say about the challenges of working in partnership, with a shared commitment to make a tangible difference, real change can happen. By working with the grain of nature, diversity and abundance can grow.
We will now let the wild garlic scent drift through the wood and for spring to take its course, but we will back in the summer for that most satisfying of tasks - pulling up Himalayan Balsam.
