Butterfly Conservation's Wales team welcomed the First Minister of Wales to a project where the charity is helping to save the UK's most endangered butterfly.
Eluned Morgan visited the site near Bridgend in South Wales where Butterfly Conservation officers are working with dedicated volunteers to rescue the High Brown Fritillary.
The project is a part of Wales’ flagship species recovery partnership, Natur am Byth! (NaB), and aims to work with farmers to boost the insect's natural habitat.
Butterfly Conservation Head of Conservation Wales Alan Sumnall said he was delighted the First Minister had paid a visit to the site and hoped it would help raise awareness and attract more volunteers.
He said: "Legacy is crucial to this project to ensure the UK’s rarest butterfly continues to thrive in this special site. We have fantastic volunteers but many of them have been doing this for years and we need more volunteers to continue their great work.
“We also really want to work with more landowners in this area so we can start expanding the High Brown Fritillary habitat further across this whole region. We are appealing for all local landowners who love nature to get in touch so we can secure the future of these beautiful butterflies and many other wonderful species."
NaB, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Welsh Government, works with a range of organisations and charities to help safeguard 67 threatened species across Wales.
In south Wales, Butterfly Conservation is using a remote-controlled robotic mower to open up spaces in dense bracken where the High Brown Fritillaries can lay eggs on tiny violets.
The charity is also working with commoners to graze their cattle in different ways that will help the butterfly.
The High Brown Fritillary project is welcoming new volunteers in 2025 to help safeguard important species while gaining conservation work experience.
John Clark, Programme Manager for Natur am Byth said: “The High Brown Fritillary project has made huge strides in safeguarding this rare butterfly, seeing an increase in volunteer led habitat management for the species. It was great to have the First Minister take an interest in such an important site and that the brilliant conservation work being done there is getting the limelight it deserves.
“We’re currently accepting volunteers across Wales that have an interest in connecting with nature and working within conservation. This sort of work has an amazing ability to boost our physical and mental wellbeing, so now is the perfect opportunity to volunteer in your patch.”
Andrew White, Wales Director for National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Natur am Byth is one of the most ambitious conservation programmes ever undertaken in Wales with their aim to protect and save 67 of Wales’ most vulnerable species.
Protecting the environment is one of our four investment principles, so nature is at the heart of what we do. It’s wonderful to see the impact of the work of staff and volunteers and witness first-hand what is made possible by National Lottery players."
Find out more about Butterfly Conservation’s project and how to get involved at butterfly-conservation.org/in-your-area/welsh-office/natur-am-byth-high-brown-fritillary-vale-of-glamorgan
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