01-05-2025
Usk County Hall has six-metre swift tower installed
The tower, which is part of the Gwent Green Grid Shared Prosperity Funding, has been set up to help the declining swift population.
The tower, which was installed at the Incredible Edible community garden, has bird boxes for up to 12 pairs of swifts.
It will provide additional nesting spaces for swifts and other urban nature, to help address the long-term loss of traditional nest sites in buildings.
The tower will also serve as a piece of art to inform residents and visitors about the declining urban bird.
The swift population in the UK has declined by 58 per cent since 1995, with a 75 per cent decline in Wales.
They have recently been put on the Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern.
Swifts mostly nest in buildings, but renovations and demolitions have caused them to lose their nesting sites.
The swift tower is one way to help these birds.
Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) has a Local Nature Recovery Action Plan to help reverse the decline in biodiversity.
Councillor Catrin Maby, cabinet member for climate change and the environment, said: "Swifts are on the red list due to declining numbers and so it is vital that we do what we can to support them.
"This swift tower is an excellent way to ensure that we continue to see breeding pairs at County Hall for many years to come.
"Hopefully it can prove to be a small step towards the recovery of swift populations in the near future."
Monmouthshire County Council hopes to support further swift project work through the Welsh Government Local Places for Nature funding during 2025-2027.
Anyone who would like to find out more or get involved, can email LocalNature@
