Coal Spoil Connections

What is Coal Spoil?

Coal spoil describes land shaped by the legacy of coal mining. When mines were active, excess rubble, slate, soil, and sometimes even old equipment, were buried or left on the surface of sites. Over time, this unique mix of materials has created unusual soils with a chemical makeup that is unlike anywhere else. These soils allow for a mosaic of habitats across the coal spoil, which offers food sources and breeding sites for a range of wildlife all in one spot.

In recent years, at least 15 new species (most of which are invertebrates, but also include some fungi) have been discovered on coal spoil sites in South Wales that are completely new to Wales. Additionally, three of these species are new to the UK and one is completely new to science, which makes protecting and understanding these sites even more vital.

Some of the key species that Coal Spoil Connections focussed on included:

• Maerdy Monster(Turdulisoma cf helenreadae)
• Tormentil Mining Bee (Andrena tarsata)
• Grayling Butterfly(Hipparchia semele)
• Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages)
• Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary(Boloria selene)
• The Beddau Beast(Cragogona dalensi).

What did the project do?

Coal Spoil Connections connected communities to their local coal spoil sites. Through a series of workshops, activity days, talks and stalls we encouraged communities to look at coal spoil sites in a new way, helping them to see their importance as a habitat for many species and exciting scientific discoveries!

We carried out extensive surveys on three coal spoil sites in South Wales where there had been little to no interventions since their creation, allowing us to recorded and highlight the diversity of species that can thrive in these areas. Over 1,000 invertebrates were recorded on these sites alone along with a number of plants, bryophytes, lichens and birds.

Further to our community engagement and surveying work, we have held a number of coal spoil conservation management workshops for landowners and managers, focussing on best-practice for how to clear scrub and maintain crucial areas of open mosaic habitat.

With the success of this project and the habitat and species data collected, we will continue our work to champion the importance of coal spoil sites and support the campaign to secure their legal protection to ensure that they are appropriately managed.

How can you stay involved?

Help us collect more data on the species that can be found on coal spoil sites and strengthen the case for them to be protected. You can submit records through the iRecord app or by submitting them directly to the South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre via their website.

To find out more about getting involved with Buglife Cymru’s work, please check our events page or email [email protected].