Brynau Farm

Wildlife and habitats

Animals

Since our woodland creation efforts commenced in 2020, we’ve seen a rapid increase in our small mammal population with voles, mice, rabbits and even hares taking advantage of their new habitat and food source. These browsers have attracted apex predators such as barn owl, kestrel, hobby and merlin which are often seen soaring high in the sky or perching on our raptor posts.

A showcase of British birdlife is one of the true wonders of Brynau. Skylarks provide a soothing soundtrack to a hike to the higher grounds, while swifts and swallows perform aerial acrobatics around the farmyard. Dazzling displays of colour brighten up the woodland too as finches, tits, jays and woodpeckers seek food and shelter amongst the trees.

Trees, plants and fungi

Brynau Farm has an area of ancient woodland which is carpeted by bluebells in spring. You'll also find veteran sessile oaks and alder coppice.

The saplings we've planted will buffer, protect and extend this important woodland habitat whilst linking and mirroring the parkland wood pasture seen in the landscape at Gnoll Country Park, next door.

Habitats

The mix of new woodland, ancient woodland, grassland and wood pasture at Brynau provides a mosaic of habitats that will suit a variety of different species.

We manage the land carefully to ensure there’s enough open space to attract a diversity of wildlife, and we've already recruited a team of four-legged grazers to do just that. Our herd of Welsh white cattle help to manage and create habitat for wildlife to thrive in the wood pasture.

Community-led volunteer projects have helped to nurture a thriving, biodiverse environment by planting a traditional orchard filled with native fruit trees, providing shelter and food for many birds, insects, and mammals. What’s more, our volunteers created wildlife ponds designed to attract frogs, dragonflies and other aquatic life.  

About Brynau Farm

Conservation grazing

Conservation grazing is a sustainable way of managing the land. At Brynau Farm, we use Welsh white cattle to manage the vegetation, control invasive species and create a varied habitat for wildlife. As selective grazers, Welsh whites seek out coarse grasses, shrubs and woody plants that, when left to grow out of control, can overpower our more delicate native plants.

We're also proud to be playing our part in safeguarding an ancient breed of cattle. The Welsh white is a key part of Welsh folklore and has been an emblem of the power of Welsh princes for centuries. They are associated with Dinefwr Castle near Llandeilo, the seat of the princes of Deheubarth.

Plastic-free tree protection

We're using the Brynau estate as a living lab for sustainability innovation by introducing alternative solutions to single-use plastic tree protection, to protect our new trees from browsing mammals. As you explore Brynau, look out for these different types of tree protection:

• reusable tree guards
• cardboard tree guards
• corn starch tree guards
• mulch matting
• rabbit fencing
• raptor posts.

Natural flood management

Historic modifications to the hillside at Brynau Farm meant that, in periods of heavy rain, water would flow rapidly down steep overland flow pathways in the field towards Neath.

We've teamed up with Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, alongside Atkins, to create natural features in the field that re-naturalise the hillside and restore its natural capacity to temporarily store and slow the flow of water. These include:

• planting new woodland to intercept water
• using earth bunds to direct water to a new pond
• breaking out the underground drain to bring water back to the surface, where it is slowed by rough cobbles, vegetation and wood
• creating leaky barriers using dead wood and hedges.

Bringing communities together 

Coed Hebog is a pocket of woodland planted by the local community in 2025, with funding from Lloyds. Drawing on historic maps, the name of this new woodland means Hawk Wood—which is fitting given the birds of prey that inhabit the wildlife-rich area. Coed Hebog will buffer and protect the ancient woods nearby,  expanding and connecting woodland habitat to the wider landscape for wildlife and people alike. 

Celebrating the Windrush generation  

Preswylfa, now fondly referred to as Windrush Grove, is a newly planted pocket of woodland at Brynau, created by and in celebration of the Windrush Elders. This special space honours their legacy and contribution to Welsh and British life, while also offering a peaceful, living connection to the land. As the trees grow, Preswylfa will stand as a symbol of resilience, community and belonging—rooted in both nature and shared history. 

Things to do at Brynau Farm

Walking

The 9km (5.5-mile) walking trail at Brynau Farm takes you from the pretty 18th-century parkland at Gnoll Estate Country Park, up through our budding plantations and over the flanks of 950ft Cefn Morfudd. Here, merlins and buzzards hunt and views unfurl for miles across Swansea Bay.

Discover the mysterious enclosures of Cefn Morfudd  

Scattered across the hillside are 13 square and rectangular earthworks with a curious history. These low banks and shallow ditches enclose small plots of land ranging from 13 to 40 metres across, and clues such as drystone walling suggest they were carefully constructed. 

Once thought to be Roman military training grounds, archaeologists now believe these enclosures are not ancient, yet still older than the surrounding field boundaries.  

One intriguing theory is that these were bee gardens used in traditional beekeeping. Similar features exist in the New Forest, where these sunny spots sheltered bees and provided honey, wax, and pollination long before modern hives.  

Their true purpose remains uncertain—but they offer a glimpse into the practical, resourceful lives of past land users.  

Marvel at mythical artworks

Look out for Brynau Farm’s powerful and inspiring artworks connecting myth to nature and past to present. A mural space for young artists celebrates their creative interpretations of the landscape, wildlife and local legends. Sculptures by renowned artist Paul Clarke blend environmental storytelling with bold design.  

Don’t miss the dramatic 11-metre owl sculpture watching over the land—an enchanting homage to the resident barn owls and the Welsh myth of Blodeuwedd, a woman made from flowers who is transformed into an owl.