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Agriculture

Harnessing Solar Power to Preserve Biodiversity on the Gwent Levels

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Gwent Levels, a Site of Special Scientific Interest on the Severn Estuary, face a dual threat from climate change and intensive farming. Extreme weather events and rising energy costs are driving the need for more diverse and sustainable land management practices. A proposed solar farm at Craig Y Perthi aims to address these pressures by reintroducing wildflower meadows and hedgerows, creating a haven for pollinators, birds, and small mammals. The project, championed by Lancaster University and the University of Cambridge with the RSPB, showcases the potential for solar parks to support biodiversity and mitigate the effects of climate change.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Craig Y Perthi solar farm proposes to reintroduce over 129 acres of permanent wildflower meadow, sown with species like red clover and bird's-foot trefoil to support the native Shrill Carder Bee.
  • The management plan removes pesticide use, creating safer conditions for invertebrates and richer foraging for birds, bats, and small mammals.
  • Studies have shown that solar parks result in a greater abundance and diversity of pollinators and farmland birds compared to nearby arable plots.
  • The project includes over 11.3 km of new hedgerows to form corridors for commuting bats and small birds, and will use existing farm gates to avoid unnecessary breaks in older hedgelines.
  • A bespoke 30-acre breeding plot has been designed to protect ground-nesting waders like lapwing, with management timed around the nesting season.
  • Monitoring at the nearby Llanwern solar site has shown measurable gains for invertebrates through adaptive land management.
  • The project aims to replace low-diversity fields with managed meadows, hedgerows, and species-rich grasslands, tailored to local priority species and free from routine chemical inputs.

Statistics:

  • The projects proposes to cover over 129 acres of land, roughly 81 football pitches.
  • The management plan removes pesticide use, creating safer conditions for invertebrates.
  • Studies have shown a 62% decline in lapwing breeding numbers in the Craig Y Perthi area between 2021 and 2024.
  • Since the late 1960s, the UK-wide drop in lapwing numbers has been around 55%.
  • The project includes over 11.3 km of new hedgerows.
  • Solar parks can provide for bees and butterflies (Source: Blaydes et al, 2024).
  • Solar farms managed for nature can boost bird numbers and biodiversity (Source: Copping et al, 2025).
  • Carbon emissions from the proposed solar farm are estimated to be significantly lower than traditional energy sources (Source: US Environmental Protection Agency, 2023).

Sources:

  • Blaydes et al (2024): "New evidence shows UK solar parks can provide for bees and butterflies" (Lancaster University)
  • Copping et al (2025): "Solar farms managed for nature can boost bird numbers and biodiversity" (RSPB)
  • Applicant's Further Information, Craig Y Perthi Solar Farm DNS/3279787 (May 2025): planningcasework.service.gov.wales/case
  • RSPB: "Helping Nature / What We Do / Influencing Government and Business / Farming / Advice for Farmers / Lapwing Advice for Farmers"
  • US Environmental Protection Agency (2023): "Greenhouse Gas Equivalency Calculator" (epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator#results)

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