IMPORTANT work has been carried out to restore and create new habitats for an endangered species in north Pembrokeshire.

The Preseli Hills are the most important site in Wales for the Southern Damselfly, with the area holding the second largest population in the UK and possibly Europe.

The site is designated as a “Special Area of Conservation” (SAC) in part because of the Southern Damselfly population.

The habitat on which the damselfly relies is in serious decline, mainly due to the reduction of traditional grazing by cattle or ponies. Until such time as a grazing regime capable of maintaining these habitats can be established, other less sustainable solutions have to be implemented to insect’s survival in the Preseli Hills.

Interventions using machinery to physically alter the streams and flushes are required to turn these narrow, underground streams into wide, shallow and open watercourses.

Works in early 2015 were undertaken to restore targeted sections of streams where suitable habitats are known to have been lost.

This work was carried out as a partnership between the British Dragonfly Society, Natural Resources Wales, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority and Pembrokeshire Biodiversity Partnership.