Fly camping, BBQs, open fires and scattered litter are "endangering" an Eryri nature reserve. National Trust issued the warning about the behaviour of a "small minority" at Cwm Idwal. They are urging people to ‘leave no trace’ after a prominent increase in illegal fly camping and littering over the summer months at various countryside and coastal locations.
They said: "In Eryri ( Snowdonia ) at Cwm Idwal, fly camping, BBQs and scattered litter is harming a highly protected habitat, the oldest National Nature Reserve in Wales famed for its rock formations and rare and fragile plant life. The heat from a recent campfire even managed to break apart a 450 million year-old glacier carved rock - a protected feature of the upland location." READ MORE: 'Deplorable' litter dumps on Yr Wyddfa as 'plastic and Prosecco' rain down from summit READ MORE: The sad pictures of overgrown and 'left to rot' Pontins holiday park in North Wales Cwm Idwal Partnership Officer Rhys Wheldon-Roberts said: “Cwm Idwal has seen a dramatic increase in biodiversity due to conservation efforts over the last 30 years.
However, this is being endangered now due to the behaviour of a small minority. “Almost nightly there is fly camping at Cwm Idwal, people lighting BBQs, campfires, leaving litter in the nature reserve. The BBQs and campfires are a concern as they burn the ground, which is a highly protected habitat, but there is also the danger of a fire spreading and threatening years of important conservation work.
"It’s great to see more people coming to connect with nature but it’s important it’s done in the right way, to leave no trace and camp at one of the designated campsites nearby in the valley, minimising your impact on nature and on other people's enjoyment of Cwm Idwal.” Ben McCarthy, Head of Nature Conservation & Restoration Ecology at the National Trust said: “We welcome several million people to our countryside and coastal locations each year and we want to do all we can to ensure visitors can enjoy their time in the countryside. But it's infuriating when a small minority of thoughtless people leave their rubbish behind that impacts both our wildlife and other visitors who have come to enjoy the nature and the outdoors.
“During the summer months our rangers have really important work to do - restoring and managing habitats, such as wildflower meadows or peatlands, supporting visitors to enjoy our wonderful countryside by fixing footpaths for example - not having to spend time clearing up after people. It really isn't acceptable. We call on everyone to simply ‘leave no trace’ when out in the countryside so everyone can enjoy it and without damaging the very nature they sought out in the first place.
“By taking simple steps – and by following the Countryside Code – we can help ensure that all our visitors can enjoy themselves, while helping our ranger teams do their jobs. “We want to remind people to enjoy all places responsibly and to help play their part in looking after them by leaving them as they found them.” Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox Find out what's going on near you.
