A FLOCK of sheep is safeguarding a slice of Prestatyn’s biodiversity.

Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB, Denbighshire Countryside Service and volunteers have worked together to clear an area by hand around the scheduled ancient monument on Prestatyn Hillside.

This work allowed the introduction of a flock of sheep to graze on the hillside to help maintain the variety of wildflowers and wildlife that gives the site its special character.

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Prestatyn Hillside SSSI was one of the project’s 40 potential nature conservation sites, designated for its internationally rare limestone grasslands.

The use of the animals is part of the Unique Opportunities - Landscape Solutions for North East Wales Project, and was supported and funded through the Welsh Government Rural Development Scheme and Natural Resource Wales.

This project works to bring sites into sustainable management regimes and reduce the need to mechanically manage sites using heavy plant and machinery, with a large focus on using traditional grazing livestock such as cattle, sheep and ponies.

The sheep coming are used to grazing on high grounds and are able to survive outside in extreme weather conditions; as long as they are not disturbed, they are happy grazing.

Cllr Barry Mellor, lead member for environment and transport, and biodiversity champion, said: “By using sheep to graze, it allows us the manage the site more sustainably and reduce the need to use machinery on the site.

“During this time access will not be restricted but, we will ask that dogs are kept under close control when passing through the compartment with sheep in.

“We really value the efforts of our volunteers; they make such an important contribution to the work of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB and Denbighshire Countryside Service.”