Wildlife advice

The council controls problem plants on land we own or are responsible for managing, such as road verges, but individual landowners are responsible for control on their land, including along watercourses.

There are 18 species of bat found in the UK (meaning that bats make up about a quarter of all Britain's mammal species) and of these species, 14 have been recorded in Powys.

All birds, nests and eggs are legally protected in Britain. Some birds, such as barn owls, have extra protection that means that it is illegal to disturb the birds when they are on or near the nest.

Hedgerows were originally designed to keep animals in or out of fields and to mark ownership boundaries. They are now also appreciated for their cultural and historical associations and great importance for wildlife.

The council has a network of over 100 Road Verge Nature Reserves, managed to conserve the range of plants growing there.

Trees and woodland are an important part of the Powys landscape. As well as native deciduous broadleaf woodland, there are large tracts of commercial conifer woodland managed by Natural Resources Wales, private forestry companies and landowners.

Crimes against wildlife include buying, selling, harming or disturbing wild animals or plants that are protected by law, as well as cruelty towards non-domesticated animals.

It's important to think about the impact that development can have on local wildlife. If there are protected species on or near a development site, measures can be put in place to safeguard them while work is carried out.

Powys is home to a huge variety of wildlife. Many plants, mammals, birds, fish, insects and fungi in Powys are protected by law and/or classed as nationally or locally important. There are also some areas of land and water that are protected because of the wildlife that live there.