Questions are being raised about how Rhondda Cynon Taf Council plans to spend the newly awarded £247,000 from the Nature Network Fund, with calls for the money to be used to address environmental damage already affecting local sites — particularly the Cwmbach Community Wetlands — rather than on further planning, studies, and meetings.
The Council recently announced that the funding would be used to help protect and improve important wildlife habitats across the county borough, working with biodiversity partners, developers, and land managers to better manage land set aside for wildlife and to create “stepping stones” between protected sites.
However, local concerns are growing that while the Council talks about improving nature and wildlife, existing environmental problems are being ignored — including council waste that has reportedly washed into the Cwmbach Community Wetlands, an area that has become an important local nature site and community asset.
Residents and community groups believe the priority should be practical environmental action — cleaning up pollution, removing waste, and restoring damaged habitats — before spending money on policy development, training sessions, and planning frameworks.
The wetlands at Cwmbach are home to a variety of wildlife and are used regularly by the local community for recreation and education. Campaigners argue that protecting wildlife starts with taking responsibility for environmental damage and maintaining the sites that already exist.
Councillor Mark Norris, Cabinet Member for Regeneration & Housing, welcomed the funding in the Council’s announcement, stating it would help protect wildlife and ensure natural spaces thrive for future generations. But critics say the Council should first ensure its own environmental management is in order and that public money should be used to fix visible environmental problems on the ground.
There are now calls for the Council to allocate part of the Nature Network Fund specifically to clean up the Cwmbach Community Wetlands, remove waste that has entered the site, and carry out real habitat restoration work — not just administrative and planning projects.
Local residents say improving nature and wildlife should start with looking after the natural spaces already in the Council’s care.
Waste dumped at Aberdare Cemetery
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has been awarded £247,000 from the Nature Network Fund to help protect and improve important wildlife habitats across the county borough.
RCT is home to a huge range of natural landscapes, which support many rare and important species. In busy areas like the South Wales Valleys, new development can put pressure on these habitats and the planning system plays a vital role in protecting and strengthening them.
Working with the South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre (SEWBReC), and in collaboration with developers and local land managers, the Council will look at how land set aside for wildlife as part of planning agreements can be better managed. The aim is to create “stepping stones” between protected sites, helping species move more easily across the landscape and making the whole area more resilient to climate change.
The project will also help shape future planning policies, ensuring the right balance between supporting development and protecting the natural environment.
As part of the work, the Council will run community training sessions to help residents learn how to identify local habitats and learn more about the species that live in them.
Councillor Mark Norris, Cabinet Member for Regeneration & Housing, said:
“This funding is fantastic news for Rhondda Cynon Taf. It will help us protect the incredible wildlife on our doorstep and make sure our natural spaces can thrive for generations to come. We’re extremely grateful for the significant support from the Nature Networks Fund.”
The Nature Networks Fund is a programme delivered by the Heritage Fund on behalf of the Welsh Government and in partnership with Natural Resources Wales. It supports projects that strengthen and restore Wales’ network of protected land and marine sites, including Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas and National Nature Reserves.
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