Swansea Friends of the Earth today condemned the decision by Neath Port Talbot Councilors to allow the destruction, by opencast firm Celtic Energy, of an important wildlife site in the Vale of Neath.
The Selar North site is an extension to the highly publicised Selar site which resulted in the first destruction of an SSSI in the UK in the mid 1990s.
The project will cause the destruction of valuable Rhos Pasture habitats which are full of wild flowers.
Swansea FoE is also particularly concerned that Celtic Energy are proposing to move the rare Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary butterflies from the site as the attempt to move the Marsh Fritillary butterfly last time was a dismal failure as predicted by experts.
The proposal will produce thousands of tonnes of coal which produce carbon dioxide and will add to climate change. Swansea FoE Chairman Roy Jones said,
“ Not only will this development destroy a valuable wildlife site but it will contribute to climate change which Sir David King the former chief scientific adviser to the government said was worse than terrorism.”
For information on the Selar SSSI see
http://www.swanseafoe.org.uk/selar-farm-sssi.html
and for a video of the profusion of wildflowers on the new Selar North site see
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHabuVy2-10
on Swansea FoE's Youtube channel.