Happy New Year to All Our Volunteers! Here are a few 2019 Wales based highlights to look back on….
As we begin to welcome in the New Year, I wished to share with you a selection of Coed Cadw’s 2019 highlights as well as forward a few words from our Wales Director -Natalie Buttriss.
‘So I thought my first year at the Trust was a whopper, but 2019 has been just as exciting and fulfilling. New staff and volunteers to meet and greet, a plethora of policy influence asks, a Celtic Rainforest project to launch and a new site acquisition to celebrate and showcase. The land at Brynau near Neath has surpassed its £2M fundraising target due to a great joint effort by both the Wales and UK teams. We are ready to go into a New Year launch with the support of the Welsh Governments’ First Minister. There are lots of amazing Outreach opportunities on the horizon and a Wales challenge to engage more people in urban areas and mobilise our supporters. Digital media will be key in this and I’ve started with the help of Nigel to use social media more #TreesOnFarms! Keep up the good work everyone and Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!’
Natalie Buttriss, 2019
In the South , thanks to the generosity of our supporters and members our achievements included reaching the £2 million fundraising target to acquire the land at Brynau near Neath. We can now start to restore this incredible ancient woodland into a haven for wildlife, allowing it to flourish and thrive. Maggie Elsey-Cox kick started this process by successfully arranging our first tree planting event at the Brynau on 31st November which also helped spread the message of the #BigClimateFightback. We had a fantastic turn out and our ‘welly clad recruits’ tackled the weather to help us plant around 500 new trees in less than 2 hours!
In the North, Kirsten Manley organised a very well received Micro Meirionydd event during the Spring. The guided walk through the Celtic Rainforests of ‘Coed Felinrhyd & Llennyrch’ enabled participants to learn more about the environmental history of this ancient woodland and investigate rare lichens and bryophytes alongside renowned Lichenologists Ray Woods and Joseph Hope.
Feedback was tremendously positive with one participant stating; ‘A huge thank you to all concerned from Stephen and me. Depsite the inclement weather it was an inspiring day. We would definately be interested in future events and hope to visit Llennyrch again to explore further.’
To read more about Coed Cadw’s highlights please find the Volunteer Update Coed Cadw Highlights 2019 document in full attached below.
Dafydd will tell the story of the wizard Gwydion, from the Mabinogion tales, who brought an army of trees to life to fight beside him in battle. According to this myth, it all took place just up the road in our beautiful ancient woodland Coed Felenrhyd!
- Dyfodol Llennyrch Project – find out what our volunteers have got up to over 2019 and what lies ahead for 2020
- Celtic Rainforests of South Snowdonia – hear about how you can immerse yourself in these beautiful woodlands throughout 2020
Book via link: https://woodlandtrusttickets.cloudvenue.co.uk/stori
Wishing you all the very best for the New Year from myself and the team at Coed Cadw,
Bethany Picton (Volunteer Development Officer – Wales)