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Kenfig - The Complete History A Welsh Documentary Heritage Website Identified by The National Library of Wales Kenfig - The Complete History A Welsh Documentary Heritage Website Identified by The National Library of Wales

Kenfig National Nature Reserve (SSSI)

Kenfig National Nature Reserve (SSSI)


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Kenfig National Nature Reserve (SSSI)



Location

Location Map - Kenfig, South Wales
Kenfig National Nature Reserve is situated approximately 3 miles North of Porthcawl on the Bristol Channel coast and about 2 miles South of Margam and Port Talbot.
See opposite for location map.






Kenfig Reserve Centre / Canolfan Gwarchodle Cynffig

Kenfig National Nature Reserve

Kenfig National Nature Reserve
Situated at Kenfig Pool, Glamorgan's largest natural lake, Kenfig National Nature Reserve is on land owned by Trustees of the Kenfig Corporation Property which is leased & managed by Bridgend County Borough Council.
Kenfig NNR is one of the finest wildlife habitats in Wales and is also one of the last remnants of a huge dune system that once stretched along the coastline of southern Wales from the Ogmore River to the Gower peninsular.
Kenfig NNR is home to a wide variety of rare and endangered species of plants and animals, including the Fen Orchid. The dune system makes up part of the largest active sand dune system in europe. [ Geological Info on Kenfig ]
Kenfig NNR is a favourite refuge for wildfoul all year round and is one of the few places in the UK where the bittern can be seen during the winter - the area is a very popular place with birdwatchers.
The area is managed to ensure the dunes don't become overcome by dense grassland and scrub woodland which would result in the loss of much of the important and diverse wildlife. The reserve is managed so that the delicate balance of habitats is maintained and visitors can freely wander the area without harming any of the reserve and its features. Disabled access is encouraged yet access to the dune systems is difficult for wheelchair users.
Kenfig NNR (includes the area of sand dunes and Kenfig Pool) are designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Geographic Coordinates: 51°31´ N 03°43´ W

Kenfig Pool


Sunset over Kenfig Pool
Covering some 70 acres, Kenfig Pool is today a haven for wildlife and an important feature of the Kenfig Dunes National Nature Reserve.
Kenfig Pool [ Learn more ]


Location Map || Kenfig, South Wales



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Background History

A long and bitter dispute between the Kenfig Corporation Trust and the Margam Estate over the ownership of the common land surrounding the Kenfig area culminated in 1971 at the High Court in London - [ Learn more ]
The Kenfig Corporation Trust won the day and a nature reserve was established to protect and preserve the wildlife of the area.
The Kenfig reserve centre was officially opened on 20 May 1980.
Kenfig National Nature Reserve

Information Centre

Provides hands -on exhibitions for children of all ages and a shop providing books, leaflets and gifts.
Outside the centre there is a boardwalk around the Kenfig Well and part of the way towards Kenfig Pool itself.
Talks, slide shows and guided walks for organised groups are catered for. Local Rambler associations often frequent the area.
The Information Centre is managed by Bridgend County Borough Council.

 TV Wildlife Presenter Iolo Williams Officially Opens Kenfig NNR

Refurbishment of Reserve

TV Wildlife presenter Iolo Williams officially re-opens Kenfig NNR on Monday 03 September 2007 [ View more photos ]

Bird Hides


Kenfig Pool Bird Hides
There are two bird hides located on opposite sides of the pool and wardens are often on site to anwser queries etc.
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Kenfig NNR || Refurbishment of Reserve Centre

Kenfig National Nature Reserve Kenfig National Nature Reserve Kenfig National Nature Reserve
Kenfig National Nature Reserve Kenfig National Nature Reserve Kenfig National Nature Reserve

The Greening of Kenfig Reserve Centre


The Setting

Kenfig Reserve Centre
The Kenfig Reserve Centre is located within the Kenfig Dune and Pool Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Kenfig National Nature Reserve and Kenfig Special Area of Conservation.
The centre is also located within a Grade 1 Historic landscape; therefore the design of the building is such that it blends into the surrounding landscape and has little effect on the surrounding environment as possible.
This was achieved in a number of ways: The building is low level, has a partial green roof and uses neutral finishes where possible on the external works of the building. The positioning of the building had to be agreed with the Countryside Council for Wales who advise the Welsh Assembly Government on wildlife issues in Wales. Permission was required from the Welsh Assembly Government to build on the Kenfig Burrows and Pool Common - planning approval from Bridgend County Borough Council was also necessary.

Plant Room

The plant room is located on the front of the Reserve Centre and houses the main workings of the various green technologies associated with the building.
The plant room includes the ground source heat pump, rainwater harvesting equipment meters and controls, associated pipe work, valves and vessels. These vessels control the pressure within the heating and plumbing systems.

Green Roof

The green roof located on the western half of the Reserve Centre provides excellent heat and sound insulation for the building - up to 10% of the heating cost can be saved. Ideally all of the building would have a green roof but due to the extreme weight this was not possible.
The green roof contains several species of succulent plants known as sedums which are tolerant of drought. The sedums also provide nectar source for a number of insects and helps the Reserve Centre blend into the surrounding environment.

Solar Panel

The solar panel is located above the plant room at the front of the building and uses the sun's energy to heat water that can be used in the Reserve Centre.
The solar panel is connected to the heat store within the plant room and therefore also contributes to the building's overall heating and hot water load.

Ground Source Heat Pump

Schematic diagram of Heating System - Kenfig Nature Reserve Centre
Diagram of Heating System
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The ground source heat pump works by extracting heat energy from the ground, which on average is about 10°C and is a free source of energy.
This heat energy warms an antifreeze liquid contained in buried ground loop pipes at the front of the Reserve Centre which are at a depth of 1.8 metres and are 100 metres long.
The warmed liquid is transferred back to the ground source heat pump where a compressor raises the pressure of the liquid thus creating more heat which raises the temperature of the heating system water to 35-40°C. On average the system will produce over four units of heat energy for every one unit of electrical power consumed.
This water is then either directly pumped around the building through the under floor heating system or transferred into a heat store for further use. Hot water is provided via this heat store using a heat exchanger.
This is achieved by heating the top section of the heat store to 60°C through further liquid compression within the heat pump. This primary heat is them transferred to the incoming mains water within the heat exchanger before being supplied the taps etc. A 6 KW emersion heater provides back-up heating during periods of extreme cold.

Rain Water Harvesting

Rain water harvesting is in effect 'free water' where rain water is collected and stored in a tank. When needed, the rain is pumped to where the water is needed, in the instance of the Reserve Centre, to the toilets.
By using rain water in this way there is less of a demand on mains water plus a substantial cost saving through using less metered mains water. The amount of water saved can be monitored through two meters within the plant room.
Collecting rain water also puts less stress on storm water drainage systems and therefore helps reduce flooding. The tank for the rain water harvesting is located underground at the front of the building.

Ventilation System

The Reserve Centre is ventilated using a system which automatically operates a number of vents to open or shut according to the temperature centre setting for the building. This temperature setting is at 21°C, which is considered to be the optimum temperature for working conditions in buildings.
The alternative would be to use conventional air conditioning. Some conventional air conditioning systems contain flammable and toxic chemicals or hydroflurocarbons, which are components of the 'green house' gases and believed to cause global warming.

Sun Pipes

Sun pipes work by a series of prisms situated on the top of the building that gather sun light. The light transfers along a highly polished wide diameter tube, supplying light to unlit areas.
Within the Reserve Centre the sun pipes are located along the corridor of the public toilets and in the workshop area. These are some of the darkest areas of the building, which, without sun pipes would need to be lit electrically and therefore be an economical and environmental cost.

Lime Mortar Finishes

Lime mortar finishes have been used in parts of the Reserve Centre. Lime finishes were commonly used until the middle of the last century, when cement came into common usage as it is cheeper and sets quicker. However, cements have a high energy input during their manufacture.
Unlike cements, lime mortars are porous and allow the building to flex in response to its natural expansion and contraction. Thus the mortar expands and contracts and allows moisture to be drawn away from the brickwork, which otherwise could cause frost damage and cracking.
Therefore, the lime finish is more cost effective in the long run as it provides better protection for the building and reduces maintenance costs.
Source: Bridgend County Borough Council

Kenfig NNR || Programme of Events 2010

In association with the Management at Kenfig National Nature Reserve, Kenfig.org Local Community Group is able to provide details of the programme of events at the Reserve Centre throughout 2010.


For further information contact the reserve centre management...

Programme of events for 2010

These will be published here in the near future...



Kenfig National Nature Reserve

Kenfig NNR || Code of Conduct


Kenfig NNR - Code of Conduct
Welcome to Kenfig National Nature Reserve, one of the most important nature reserves in Europe. The dunes and wetlands support many specialised plants and animals, several of which are very rare. These include the fen orchid, shrill carder bee and medicinal leech.

Access and Facilities

Access is free and the site is open all year.
The Reserve Centre provides information and there is a programme of guided walks and events. there are also car parks, toliets and a mini nature reserve which has surfaced paths accessible to all. Two bird hides overlook Kenfig Pool.
The site's bye-laws are displayed outside the Reserve Centre.


To prevent damage to the reserve - Please Note

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No motorbikes or cars
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Keep dogs under control as livestock graze here
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No shooting
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No camping
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No fires
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Horse riders are welcome but please keep to bridleways
Source: Bridgend County Borough Council / Countryside Council for Wales

Kenfig - The Complete History (e-Resource) || An important part of Wales' documentary heritage, identified by the National Library of Wales || www.kenfig.org.uk

Related Website Links ||

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Kenfig Burrows - Wikipedia
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Kenfig National Nature Reserve (Meadow Garden) - Unofficial Website

Acknowledgements ||


Bibliography

(1) Bridgend County Borough Council
(2) Management - Kenfig National Nature Reserve
(3) Kenfig History Society
(4) Rob Bowen - Kenfig.org Local Community Group

Webpage Author

(1) Mr Rob Bowen - Kenfig.org Local Community Group, 2009-2010.
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