Biodiversity Action Plan in Prison Farm

HMP YOI Prescoed is the only prison farm in Wales.

It’s biological diversity ranges from:

• a site that has a Special Site of Archaeological Interest (SSAI),
• an FSC commercial woodland; and
• a Special Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Species range from great crested newts, badgers, barn owls and the woodland is inhabited by at least five different species of bat as well as dormice.

The recent introduction of the Prison Service Biodiversity Action Plan (PSBAP) at Prescoed highlighted the operations around the fieldwork on the farm and its potential to encourage farmland birds such as barn owls and bullfinch. Action plans for all of these species were drawn up. With the introduction of surveying to monitor the actions that had been put in place the achievements recorded include:

• Presence of 5 breeding pairs of lapwing.
• Barn owls are moving closer in to the farm as a result of the erection of barn owl boxes on the farm and working closely with the Hawk and Owl Trust to encourage species on which they feed upon into the area.
• The great crested newt is also re-establishing itself in the recent wetland project that took place on the edge of the woodlands.