A new nature reserve is set to become a 70-acre site supporting local biodiversity.

The development, located at Green Gates in St Asaph, will soon be home to trees grown from locally sourced seeds.

This is part of the council's initiative to protect and restore local nature habitats and contribute to a nature recovery goal.

The increased hedgerow and tree cover will also aid in achieving the net carbon zero goal through enhanced carbon absorption.

The project will also see the restoration of existing ponds, the creation of new ones, and the establishment of a wetland area adjacent to two small watercourses.

Woodland, scrub, and grassland habitat areas are also part of the plan.

A new brownfield site, categorised as a Priority Habitat, will be developed to support a variety of rare and important wildlife, including insects and wildflowers.

Natural Resources Wales has identified the site as a potential Site of Special Scientific Interest for great crested newts.

The reserve will feature a permissive pathway for walkers and a raised viewing area.

The 70-acre site is part of the council's initiative to protect and restore local nature habitats (Image: Supplied) The council has established a local provenance tree nursery on the Green Gates site, aiming to produce over 5,000 trees and wildflowers each year to boost local habitats.

A variety of trees, including oak, alder, willow, silver birch, and some rarer species such as wild service and spindle, will be the first to be planted in December.

Volunteers, supported by the North Wales Wildlife Trust and nursery volunteers, will join with the biodiversity team to plant the trees.

Eventually, over 4,000 trees, covering around 2.4 hectares, will be planted in the woodland area on the site.

Further tree planting is also planned for other site areas.

Councillor Barry Mellor, lead member for environment and transport, said: "It's fantastic to know that the trees grown in our tree nursery at St Asaph will go back out to this land on the doorstep to shape what will be a brilliant asset for Denbighshire in supporting our local wildlife, plants and trees, as well for community wellbeing, education and leisure.

"Our volunteers and biodiversity team have worked hard to source and grow these trees at the nursery and it will be great to see the first fruits of their labour going back out into Denbighshire ground to help with reducing carbon across the county and better supporting our nature."

The Welsh Government, through the Local Places for Nature grant, and Denbighshire’s Climate and Nature Recovery Programme, have provided funding for this initiative as part of the council's work with the Local Nature Partnership.