Visitors to Stryt Las Park in Johnstown may notice some work taking place to the large pond to drain and clean it.
The Rangers do this every year to give the lake a good clean up. Litter in the lake is unsightly and often dangerous to the many birds that live on the lake at Stryt Las.
Traffic signs, bikes, thousands of cans and bottles and the ever present shopping trolleys have all been removed from the mud in previous years.
Any fish present in the lake will be netted by Natural Resources Wales and relocated to another pond or a lake that needs stocking. We remove the fish for the benefit of the rare Great crested newts that inhabit this site. Unfortunately fish like to eat Great crested newts and as the newt is a protected species and Stryt Las is a designated Special Area of Conservation the ponds need to be kept free of fish.
The ducks and swans that live on the lake at Stryt Las are free to fly to other ponds, as they often do, returning at a later date. The ranger has requested that visitors to the park do not feed the ducks. Feeding the ducks and swans encourages the birds to be less fearful of people, which makes them more vulnerable, especially to dogs, a particular problem while the lake is drained.
If you would like to help the rangers clean out the lake, please give the rangers a call on 01978 822780. Once the fish have been caught and the rubbish cleared the lake will be allowed to refill naturally.
Cllr David A Bithell, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “The park is visited by many people during the winter months and regulars will be used to this annual clean up. The Rangers work hard to protect Special Area of Conservation and the protected newts and other wildlife that live on the site.”
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