Kilvey Hill Woodlands Ecological Constraints and Opportunities Plan (ECOP)

Kilvey Hill is an iconic part of Swansea and the significance of the Hill to Swansea residents and visitors will increase in the future as it increasingly becomes a highly visible green space adjoining the urban centre of the city.

The woodland is a superb example of post-industrial recovery of a heavily polluted landscape and better communication of its past and its future significance should be made at every opportunity.

Although the land was never officially part of the Lower Swansea Valley (LSV) Project, the recreated woodland is already part of the historic achievements of Swansea Corporation, the University and the other agencies that collaborated on the recovery. The species planted in the 1970s were based on the knowledge gained by the remarkable botanical and chemical work of the LSV Project. This means that the woodland itself is an historic part of the recovery of Swansea from the consequences of two hundred years of pollution and dereliction from the great industrial concerns that transformed the Lower Swansea Valley. The predominance of Lodgepole, Corsican and Scots pines across the woodland is because of the resilience of those trees in the toxic soils of the Hill. Many of those ‘pioneer’ trees are now sick or old and their work has been done. The large amount of natural native tree regeneration in the clearings and gaps on the Hill demonstrates that the healing and recovery process for woodland is well underway. The conversion or transition from coniferous woodland to broadleaf has already begun and the natural processes of regeneration should be supported wherever possible.

The increasing momentum of natural regeneration should make the need for any formal planting schemes unnecessary.

Some of the original pines that were planted in the 1970s have grown to impressive size and are still safe and healthy. They should be considered as historic artifacts and assets because they were part of that original pioneering effort to tackle the pollution left by previous generations. This kind of ‘post-industrial woodland’ is a significant part of the landscape recovery and rejuvenation of the industrial parts of Wales. Post-industrial woodland takes its place alongside Ancient Woodland, Ancient Semi-natural Woodland and Plantations on Ancient Woodland as important assets of landscape recovery and adaptation to new climatic conditions.

As the woodland has grown, so has its use and connections with the local communities that surround Kilvey. A thriving volunteer organisation has provided thousands of hours of voluntary time to care and protect the land and is one of many organisations and groups that use the woodlands for wellbeing and recreational activities.