There is a precious strip of wasteland located between our workshop and the Cleddau Estuary water’s edge, here in Pembroke Dock. Nature has re-colonised an area of old industrialised dockland and it has been our privilege to look directly over it for the last eleven years. From scoured concrete, tarmac and grit has emerged surprising riches of flora and fauna which have bit by bit, made it their home. It is a hidden gem of wildflowers, birds and insects, even a few mammals.
To people who know it and regularly come to walk here, it’s an accidental haven, an open lung of green in the town, somewhere to get away, walk your dog, look out over the waters, watch the ferry from Ireland come in, watch the open sky sunset, think and dream, maybe find a little bit of space.
We’ve found out, after years of rumours, projected plans and meeting, that the whole area is to be flattened for a lorry park. Feel so sad for the wildlife that lives there. Walking around today, watched butterflies fluttering round, laying eggs which may not even get to hatch. Don’t think we can bear to watch…
We need local jobs here for sure, but is a lorry park really going to provide that many, long term. And at a time when we’re all needing a bit more sense of wellbeing, does it need to be at the expense of this much loved area of green space.
Maybe what Pembroke Dock people (and wildlife) could do with is actually a nature park.
#wildlife #PembrokeDock #Pembrokeshire #wildflowers #welshwildlife #butterflies #natureconservation
