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This project successfully funded on 13th March 2026, you can still support them with a donation.
Save the Small Blue at Cwm Tips
Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taff, United Kingdom
£1,595
raised so far
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Aim
Restore Cwm Tips’ wildflower grasslands - saving rare bees, butterflies and a South Wales nature gem.
Cwm Tips in Tynant, Beddau is one of the most remarkable wildlife sites in the South Wales Valleys and a true hidden nature gem within Rhondda Cynon Taf. Less than a decade ago, flower-rich grasslands supported an astonishing array of life.
Today, those grasslands are under threat. Invasive plants like cotoneaster and gorse have taken over these grasslands, choking out vital wildflowers. This not only changes the look of the land - it destroys habitat for some of our rarest and most beloved wildlife.
That’s where we need your help.
How the grasslands used to look - photo taken in 2015 (c) Liam Olds
How the grasslands look today (c) Liam Olds
Why This Matters - The Wildlife That Depends on Cwm Tips
Cwm Tips is home to:
- 🐞 Over 600 invertebrate species - one of the richest insect communities in the area.
- More than 50 bee species - making it one of the most important sites for bee diversity in Rhondda Cynon Taf.
- Rare pollinators such as the Red-backed Mining Bee and the Brown-banded Carder Bee, both dependent on flower-rich grasslands.
- Endangered butterflies like Grayling and Wall.
- The Small Blue butterfly - the UK's smallest butterfly - which can only survive where its food plant, Kidney Vetch, grows.
But invasive plants such as Cotoneaster have crowded out the wildflowers and the special species that rely on them.
Brown-banded Carder Bee queen visiting Kidney Vetch flower at Cwm Tips (c) Liam Olds
Our Plan: Restore the Grasslands - Save the Wildlife
From January 2026, we’re launching a dedicated campaign to remove invasive cotoneaster, gorse and other scrub across key areas at Cwm Tips - the very areas that once supported the richest wildflower grasslands.
We're aiming to raise £2000 to go towards contractor costs for the targeted removal of these invasive plants - essential work that requires specialist equipment and expertise.
Once that groundwork is done, any additional funds will support the purchase of hand tools to support volunteer habitat work parties - giving local people a chance to get involved directly.
What Your Support Will Deliver
With your help we will:
Bring back flower-rich grassland habitat
Create space for vital wildflowers to flourish
Protect and expand habitat for rare bees and butterflies
Support the future of the Small Blue butterfly
Provide meaningful volunteer opportunities for the community
Support wellbeing through nature connection and hands-on conservation
Not only will this work benefit wildlife for years to come - it will also strengthen community pride, outdoor learning, and local stewardship of a unique and irreplaceable landscape.
Why Now?
Invasive species don’t wait - and neither can we.
Each year that the grasslands become increasingly shaded and overtaken, meaning declining habitat, shrinking insect populations and fewer precious wildflowers. Every pound raised now goes directly toward reversing that loss before it’s too late.
Get Involved & Make a Lasting Difference
Your support - no matter the amount - helps bring back the wildflower grasslands of Cwm Tips and protect a special corner of nature that local people and wildlife call home. Donate today to restore Cwm Tips - for wildlife, for community, for the future.
Thank you for your support and belief in nature’s recovery.
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made