West Williamston Nature Reserve
West Williamston Nature Reserve extends for 20 hectares. Leased from the National Trust since 1979 it is managed by the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales. The reserve is notified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is part of the Cleddau Rivers Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
The reserve is a promontory on the confluence of the Carew and Cresswell rivers, a combination of tidal creeks, limestone outcrops and spoil heaps with woodland.
The saltmarsh is deeply indented with tidal creeks excavated as loading bays for the limestone quarries in the 18th century. Many of the creeks are now becoming salt marsh, and the remaining spoil heaps from the quarries have become vegetated.
Marsh Mallow
The saltmarsh fringes the muddy shoreline where there is a broad belt of Cord Grass, and Glassworts, Rock-Sea Lavender and also Marsh mallow is present at one of it's few locations in Pembrokeshire.
The ridges between the creeks and quarries have a rich calcareous flora between patches of scrub. Local and uncommon plants include Bee Orchid, Fragile glasswort, Hairy rock-cress, Hairy violet, and Yellow wort. Ash and sycamore dominate the woodland with Oaks, Beech and Hazel. Lichen and fungi are abundant and include Sulphur Tuft and Orange Peel Fungus.
Large numbers of waders and wildfowl frequent the site, including Curlew, Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Shelduck, Mute Swan, Cormorant andOystercatcher. Further species present in the woodland include Tawny Owl and Wren.
Brown Hairstreak
Butterflies are well represented and include the Comma and one of the largest colonies of Brown Hairstreak in West Wales.
Mammals present include Badger, Common Shrew, Bank Voles, Moles and Polecats.
