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Lake Vyrnwy Nature Reserve and Estate is an area of land in Montgomeryshire, Powys, Wales, surrounding the Victorian reservoir of Lake Vyrnwy. Its stone-built dam, built in the 1880s, was the first of its kind in the world. The nature reserve and the area around it are jointly managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), and Severn Trent Water. It was built for the purpose of supplying Liverpool and the districts later designated as Merseyside with fresh water. It flooded the head of the Vyrnwy valley and submerged the small village of Llanwddyn. Today it is a popular retreat, for people in the West Midlands and Merseyside for days out, and also for ornithologists, cyclists, and hikers. The reserve is designated as a National Nature Reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area, and a Special Area of Conservation.
Lake Vyrnwy is a designated Nature Reserve. The RSPB has several bird hides around the lake, where a number of rare species of birds are known to be breeding, including the Peregrin Falcon, the Pied Flycatcher the Redstart the Siskin and the Wood Warbler. Every spring they host a Dawn Chorus tour.
Around 90 species of bird have been recorded as breeding on the reserve, and six species of bat, including the pipistrelle and brown long-eared bat. Butterfly species include Purple Hairstreaks, commas and peacocks. Dragonflies include Golden Ringed, Common Hawker and Four spotted chaser.
Heather Moorland that grows on the mountains around the lake is now being restored. This restoration of heather moorland is becoming increasingly common in Britain. In most moorlands, Heather is usually burnt, cut, and the seeds collected to be sowed where the heather has gone. Burning at the Lake Vyrnwy moorland is no longer carried out, as the burning of heather can have negative consequences for water management (namely water colouration). Management of the moorland helps improve the habitat for Red Grouse and the Short-eared Owl. Sheep, cattle and ponies also graze on the heather. The livestock is managed by tenant farmers who farm the moorland in accordance with Organic Agriculture.
Broadleaf trees are being planted to replace coniferous trees, and man-made features such as hedgerows and dry-stone walls are also being restored, and wildflower areas are being restored to help insects, birds, and other wildlife.
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