PRESENT: Dr P A Jones (Chairman), R D Pryce (Secretary), Mrs D Hopkins (Treasurer), and ten members.
No APOLOGIES were received.
The MINUTES of the 1998 Annual General Meeting (reproduced in Newsletter no 63) were adopted and signed.
There were no MATTERS ARISING.
CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT: The Chairman welcomed members in attendance and commented on the good number present. He thanked the membership for their support and also thanked contributors to the Bulletin and Newsletter. He went on to reminisce on some of the meetings which had taken place during the year. He commented on the scientific content of the Bulletin which was in stark contrast to the glossies produced by other wildlife bodies.
The officers of the Society had been involved in the consideration of several development projects including the Millennium Coastal Park and the Welsh National Botanic Garden at Middleton Hall, both of which are likely to increase public pressure in the local area. He hoped that the habitats created by these projects would be worthy replacements for those habitats which inevitably were to be lost. Membership decreases in recent years were always a worry and undoubtedly the lack of a publicity officer on the committee was a contributory factor. The Chairman appealed for a volunteer to come forward to take on this task. In conclusion he again thanked members for their support during his chairmanship and hoped that the incoming chairman would be supported in the same way.
SECRETARY’S REPORT: The Secretary opened by thanking the Chairman for his statement and continued by outlining the society’s activities over the past year which had consisted of six indoor meetings and nine field meetings. Attendances at meetings was still a cause of concern as was the problem of recruiting new members although attendances had fluctuated and some meetings were quite well attended. As in previous years the future programme was very varied and covered many diverse subjects. In common with last year, only one edition of the Llanelli Naturalists Newsletter had appeared (no 63, in June), which was again due to the insufficient amount of time that the secretary was able to devote to its production. The secretary thanked the editor, Ian Morgan, all contributors, the collators and the distributers and reiterated his apologies for delays. He appealed for help with its future production. The Llanelli Naturalists Bulletin No 3 appeared in October and Bulletin No 4 was about to be produced. These two issues clear the backlog of papers ready for publication but more material had been promised in time for another issue early in 2000. The Llanelli Millennium Coastal Park project was proceeding apace with construction of the ‘Swannery’ now largely complete and the Pwll-Burry Port elements receiving some tweaking to improve the original rough landforms produced at the beginning of the project. Both land-bridges had been completed providing links across the railway line. The development of the ‘Eisteddfod Fields’, Pwll, was the source of some concern as it was proposed to infill much of the site to bring it above flood level although compensation would be provided by the construction of a substantial lake and reedbeds west of the sewage pumping station. The formation of the ‘ecological golf course’ between the Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre and Machynys would be started in the near future. Localized erosion of the ‘Shoreline Dunes’, Burry Port had received attention and the cycle-way and footpath to the south of the Ashburnham Dunes was nearing completion. It was proposed to declare several new Local Nature Reserves in or adjacent to the Coastal Park in due course. Sea Buckthorn clearance was continuing at the Pembrey Saltings Local Nature Reserve where it was proposed to introduce grazing as a management tool in the near future but this depended upon the erection of stock-proof fencing. Several members of the Society have visited the Community Woodland being developed by the county council at Tumble and had recorded some scarce species there. Philip Jones had again been involved in the organization of the society’s exhibit at the Llanelli Flower Festival but the event was canceled at the last moment. It was proposed that another Festival would not be held until 2000. All indoor meetings were now being staged jointly by the Llanelli Naturalists and the Llanelli Section of the Wildlife Trust West Wales as the number of people in Llanelli actively interested in wildlife did not appear to be sufficient to sustain two separate programmes. The Secretary concluded by echoing the Chairman in appealing for a volunteer to take over responsibility as publicity officer and in thanking all those involved in the running of the Llanelli Naturalists and also all those supporters without whom the society could not function.
TREASURER'S REPORT: The audited accounts were received and adopted by the meeting and are presented below. The Treasurer reported a loss of £29.69 because of the printing of Bulletin no 3 which has only sold 14 copies so far. Also the cost of the hire of the room has increased but has effectively been halved to the Society due to the contribution made by the Wildlife Trust West Wales. Membership stands at 69 (plus 10 complimentary). The auditor wishes to stand down and the Society will need to appoint a replacement by the end of the year.
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Members present gave sanction to the Treasurer to increase subscriptions for the year 2000 should it be deemed necessary by the committee.
RESERVE REPORTS
Lliedi Reservoirs (Mike Williams) Carmarthenshire County Council has now taken over the Upper Reservoir and there is free access without permit although it would appear that disturbance is not a major issue. The fishing season offers some restriction as casting is a hazard. No help had been forthcoming for the maintenance of nestboxes so they had not been cleaned out again this year. Ian Morgan suggested that an advert placed at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust Centre might produce a volunteer. The duck population has dropped, presumably due to the several additional waterbodies created elsewhere in the district in recent years. The Badgers are still active and the sett has remained undisturbed. Philip Jones remarked that David Bannister of the County Council wishes to have an interpretative leaflet produced and had approached him for a copy of the leaflet produced previously.
Stradey Estate (Ian Morgan) Both Cors Pum Heol and the Wild Service Tree site in Stradey Woods flourish with non-intervention management.
Factory Road, Pembrey (Philip Jones) The Bloody Cranesbill and Cowslips continue to flourish. The Tasselhyacinth had not been seen for many years and Richard Pryce suggested that Viv and Tony Lewis might wish to visit the site in order to attempt to refind it.
Ffrwd Fen (Philip Jones) The site continues to be under-grazed with the dune ridge not now having been grazed for two years. However, the hay bales had been removed more promptly than in previous years. Management is definitely being neglected despite the Wildlife Trust West Wales having attracted grant aid to carry out such work.
CCW are in the process of extending the SSSI boundary to include some of the surrounding marshes. The Hon. Warden stated that although he enjoys keeping an eye on the reserve he feels unable to devote enough time to do the job justice and would be very happy to stand down if an interested successor would volunteer. Richard Jenkins continues to carry out Water Rail research at the site.
Both the Chairman and Secretary thanked the Hon. Wardens for their efforts during the year.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Prof. Charles Stirton, Director of the Welsh National Botanic Garden, Middleton Hall, continues in the post of Patron of the society. As the number of nominations for officers and committee members were less than the number of vacancies, the following were elected unopposed: Mrs.Jan Crowden (Chairman), Mr Barry Stewart (Vice-chairman), Mr.Richard Pryce (Secretary), Mrs.Diana Hopkins (Treasurer). Committee members: Mrs.Kath Cottingham, Mrs.Edith Jones, Mrs Viv Lewis, Dr.Philip Jones, Messrs. Ian Morgan, Tony Lewis, Gary Harper and Rob Hunt. Wildlife Trust - West Wales’ Observer: Steve Lucas.
PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE RULES OF THE SOCIETY: The rule changes proposed on the agenda (and printed in Newsletter No 63, page 5) were passed unanimously.
There was no OTHER BUSINESS
The meeting closed at 8.30pm and was followed by slides shown by Jan Crowden (Dormice and Marsh Fritillaries), Ian Morgan (Plants, etc in the Llanelli area), Barry Stewart (Moths and other insects) and Richard Pryce (Bog Orchid found in 1998 by Ian Morgan in Cwm Twrch).
