Seed harvesting

Further to our work in translocating environmentally sensitive areas of the newly constructed South Wales gas pipeline (also know as the Milford Haven pipeline), Inscapes has also undertaken seed harvesting in species rich areas of land running along side the pipeline route.  Seed harvesting is seen to be of great importance when trying to replace or restore areas which have been disrupted or damaged by large scale construction works.

Harvesting of ecologically important and rare species was of importance, some of the species that were collected are as follows:-

• Caraway
• Devil’s-bit scabious
• Burnet
• Knapweed
• Heather

Specially designed machinery was used to harvest the majority of the areas, although harvesting by hand had to be undertaken in areas that were inaccessible.

Work was carried out in areas in and around the grounds of the Botanical gardens and in areas of Haverfordwest, Pontarddulais and the mountain regions near Pontardawe to name just a few. 

Harvesting was mainly carried out on fine dry days, but seed that was collected from areas that retained moisture, were taken to our Bridgend depot for drying and storage.  Where possible seed that was collected was then spread directly onto bare areas of land (the strip) which the pipe lays underneath.

A harvesting program is still on going across many areas in south west Wales.