Coed-y-Person

Also within

Gwent County Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons National Park

Habitats

Ancient woodland, Bracken scrub, Coppiced woodland

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Devonian · Rock Type: Limestone, Sandstone

Description

Description A large area of ancient semi-natural woodland on the steep north facing lower slopes of the Blorenge mountain. The lower edge is formed mainly by the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal except that in places the canal passes through the wood cutting off a small area of the lower slopes. The underlying rocks are principally Old Red Sandstone with occasional inclusions of Devonian Limestone. The soils are mainly infertile acidic loam with a notably less acidic band below the canal. The site includes one of the most extensive areas of coppice beech Fagus sylvatica in the county. Other canopy trees include oak Quercus petraea and Quercus robur, ash Fraxinus excelsior and elm Ulmus glabra. The ground flora is generally sparse with large areas dominated by bracken Pteridium aquilinum and grass Deschampsia flexuosa and D. caespitosa reflecting the high level of grazing. The small area of woodland below the canal is of particular interest because it has been isolated from grazing since the construction of the canal (circa 1792). There is a greater diversity of canopy trees including lime Tilia cordata and alder Alnus glutinosa. The ground flora of this area is also rich with such species as wood melic Melica uniflora, moschatel Adoxa moschatellina and woodruff Galium odoratum. Remarks: Within the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Species mentioned

Insects to look out for

These moths, butterflies and beetles are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.

Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

Plant communities