The Cabinet of Bridgend County Borough Council has agreed to develop alternative methods for managing Kenfig National Nature Reserve.
Featuring a mix of coastal sand dunes and both wetland and grassland environments, the 1,300 acre site is owned by the Kenfig Corporation Trust and leased to the council.
In partnership with the Countryside Council for Wales, the local authority is responsible for managing the reserve and conserving specific features that are protected under European and UK legislation.
The Cabinet has agreed to work alongside the Kenfig Corporation Trust over the next two to three years to devise new management systems in partnership with other organisations and look at developing the reserve’s marketing and retail functions, increase the number of visitors and improve the ways in which the site’s environments and ecosystem are sustained and protected.
In order for a new management organisation to be able to take up the lease at an appropriate time, the council will formally serve notice of its intention to withdraw from the current lease for managing the site. However, if no viable alternatives can be found between now and 2012, the authority can enter into a new lease for the continued management of the site.
Council Leader Mel Nott said: “I want to be very clear that the council is not looking to walk away from Kenfig National Nature Reserve – far from it. What we want to do is come up with a fresh approach to the ways in which the site is managed and maintained.
“We will be working in partnership with the trustees to secure a sustainable future for the reserve. Over the next two to three years, we will have plenty of time in which to consider the various options and consult with local stakeholders. We want to take our time and come up with the best possible solution because Kenfig National Nature Reserve is an asset of European importance and deserves our very best efforts.
“There are a number of organisations which possess specialist knowledge and skills which could be put to good use at the reserve, and we would be interested in forming fresh partnerships with them in order to protect the site’s various environments and enhance the visitor experience for the many thousands of people who enjoy the reserve’s stunning natural beauty, rare flowers and wildlife.
“A recent study has revealed a number of areas where improvements need to be made to ensure that Kenfig National Nature Reserve remains sustainable – for example, the encroachment of scrub is threatening the long-term future of the dunes.
“The authority also provides Kenfig National Nature Reserve with a subsidy of around £130,000 every year. Given the current economic climate, we need to find ways of better managing our resources as well as securing the reserve’s future.
“Our proposals have the support of the Kenfig Corporation Trust and we will be carrying out widespread consultation as the plans develop, but local residents can be assured in the meantime that Bridgend County Borough Council remains committed towards Kenfig National Nature Reserve.”
