A NATURE reserve known for its marsh fritillary butterflies - soon to be protected as a rare
species - will be destroyed because of a decision by Mr John Redwood, the Welsh Secretary, to let opencast mining go ahead.
The decision over Selar Farm, near Neath, West Glamorgan, is believed to be only the second time that permission has been given for the destruction of a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The first was the sanctioning of the Cardiff Bay Barrage by Parliament last year.
Mr Redwood decided not to call a public inquiry over a decision by West Glamorgan council to give British Coal Opencast Executive permission to mine the farm's meadows, which are also known as a habitat for the green hairstreak butterfly and the small pearl-bordered fritillary.
The mine proposal had aroused strong local opposition and the environmental group Friends of the Earth said yesterday it was consulting lawyers as to whether the decision was legal under the EC Habitats Directive which becomes law this summer.
The marsh fritillary is listed in the directive as a species of European importance which governments are obliged to protect.
The Government is expected to lay regulations before Parliament to implement the Directive later this month. Mr Tony Juniper, habitats campaigner, said: "Comforting sounds from Government on the effectiveness of nature conservation in Britain are fooling nobody.
"The decision to allow the destruction of yet another supposedly protected wildlife reserve reveals the true impotence of existing legislation."
