Move to restore Ospreys nesting site that was cut down by chainsaw in ‘disgusting act’

There has been a move to restore an ospreys nesting site that was cut down by a chainsaw.

A telegraph pole erected for a new nest in response to an act of vandalism at Llyn Brenig, which caused a public outcry and was branded as “disgusting” by North Wales Police.

Back in April, the nest at Llyn Brenig was deliberately destroyed under the cover of darkness just a day after a pair of ospreys had laid their first egg.

However, the breeding project has now received a boost thanks to a team from Openreach and local engineering firm GT Williams. They have sourced and erected a new telegraph pole for a new osprey nesting platform at the site, which is owned by Welsh Water.

Openreach obtained and supplied the pole, and telecommunications supplier and contractor GT Williams Civil Engineering installed it for free.

Its the first part of a plan to attract back a breeding pair of ospreys to the site after an act of vandalism earlier in the year. It is understood that specially built new platform for the ospreys will be put into place at a later date.

The Brenig Osprey Project, a partnership between Welsh Water and North Wales Wildlife Trust, was devastated by the felling of the original platform.

‘Incredibly grateful’

Graeme Cotterill, of North Wales Wildlife Trust, told the Free Press: “We are incredibly grateful to members of the public and partner businesses such as Openreach and GT Williams who have supported the Brenig Osprey Project since its inception.

“The outpouring of generosity following the original wildlife crime has been truly heartening, and we look forward to a successful osprey breeding season in 2022.”

Suzanne Rutherford, of Openreach, said: “We were delighted to be able to provide a helping hand to the Brenig Osprey Project. The fibre network that we’ve enhanced in and around Llyn Brenig will improve security for these beautiful birds.

“People often think of having good fibre broadband as a must have for working from home, shopping online or downloading HD movies. Now we can also add to that list keeping the endangered osprey safe.”