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breathing spaces newsletter of the Welsh National Parks

Summer 2010Summer 2010Summer 2010Summer 2010

This edition of Breathing Spaces arrives as

Summer gives way to Autumn. During this period

of very visible seasonal change it is perhaps no

surprise to learn that other changes are

occurring within Wales in the way that we look

after our environment. These changes are partly

a product of the environmental challenges we

continue to face, but also the result of the

financial constraints the public sector is having to

manage.

Discussions are now taking place within the

environmental sector concerning the Natural

Environment Framework, otherwise known as ‘A

Living Wales’. The document is the Welsh

Assembly Government’s strategic response to

Wales failing to meet its 2010 Biodiversity targets

along with other environmental issues. ‘A Living

Wales’ sets out a new and much more

integrated approach to managing the natural

environment that is focussed on improving the

health of ecosystems as a whole. This is a similar,

though possibly smaller, approach to the

landscape-scale approach favoured by the

NPAs. None the less this marks a significant shift

in Government policy and may provide a

number of opportunities for Wales National

Parks.

A second, related, area of work, chaired by

CCW’s Chairman, Morgan Parry will involve a

review of organisational arrangements and

functions between Wales three large

environmental agencies, CCW; Forestry

Commission Wales; and the Environment

Agency Wales. Partly the result of the

environmental problems mentioned earlier, and

also a response to financial pressure, the review

is due to examine whether the agencies are

providing an adequate integrated and

sustainable dimension to their work.

The National Park Authorities will be contributing

to the consultation over the coming three

months and no doubt you will be asked to

participate. If you’d like more information or a

copy of the consultation document please visit:

http://goo.gl/Q99E

Dates for the Diary Dates for the Diary Dates for the Diary Dates for the Diary

25th-26th November, the Annual Welsh Members

Seminar, hosted by Snowdonia National Park

Authority, Plas Tan Y Bwlch

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New Chairman elected for Brecon New Chairman elected for Brecon New Chairman elected for Brecon New Chairman elected for Brecon

Beacons National Park AuthorityBeacons National Park AuthorityBeacons National Park AuthorityBeacons National Park Authority

Cllr Eric Saxon, a Member from Monmouthshire

County Council has been elected as the new

Chairman for Brecon Beacons National Park

Authority at an AGM meeting held at the end of

July. 

Cllr Eric Saxon from Monmouthshire County

Council was elected as the new Chairman. He

succeeds Mrs Mary Taylor – the Park’s longest

serving Chairman - who steps down from the

National Park Authority officially on 31st August

2010 after 13 years of dedicated service.

Mrs Julie James, a Welsh Assembly Government

appointed Member was elected as Deputy

Chairman for the Park Authority.

Cllr Saxon is well known in the county of

Monmouthshire, where he has been a County

Councillor for the last 6 years and a Community

Councillor for the last 14 years.  He brings a

wealth of experience in areas such as business,

the environment and public service governance

and excellence.  

On his appointment as Chairman, Cllr Saxon

said:  “Brecon Beacons National Park Authority

has made significant progress under the valued

leadership of Mrs Mary Taylor, but we cannot

afford to be complacent – we still have much

work to do.  I do not want this Authority to be

either a Member led or an Officer led

organisation.  Good governance and effective

leadership depends on mutual trust and respect,

co-operation and partnership.  We must

continue to work together to strengthen the

mutual trust and respect I have seen develop

since my time here.  I am very honoured to be

elected as Chairman and I am ambitious for the

National Park and keen that the improvements

we have achieved so far should be a foundation

for further improvements. Above all, I have a

deep belief in National Parks and I will strive to

ensure that I can guide, support and lead the

National Park Authority’s positive work in

conservation and in our local communities.”

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Highest Praise for Highest Praise for Highest Praise for Highest Praise for

Highest BuildingHighest BuildingHighest BuildingHighest Building

In a ceremony hosted by the Royal Institute of

Chartered Surveyors Wales (RICS Wales)

recently, Hafod Eryri was awarded the “Project

of the Year” prize. Also, the Royal Institute of

British Architects (RIBA), has concluded that

Hafod Eryri should be one of seven buildings in

Wales to be praised for the quality of their design

and contribution to the local environment.

Pierre Wassenaar, president of the Welsh branch

of the RIBA, acknowledged that Hafod Eryri had

been chosen partly because of the sheer

challenge of its construction.

“It is a tremendous achievement. It would be

difficult enough to build on the level ground –

which they did in fact before dismantling it and

bringing it up the mountain – so just from an

effort point of view I think it deserves accolades.”

Although Hafod Eryri was short listed for the RICS

Wales Awards’ “Regeneration” category, of the

15 finalists, Hafod Eryri won the “Construction

Skills Welsh Project of the Year.”

On behalf of the National Park Authority, Chief

Executive Aneurin Phillips said,

“The Authority insisted from the beginning that

we would have a building on the summit of

Snowdon which the whole of Wales would be

proud of. Since the opening of Hafod Eryri, the

response which we have received from the

public, has been incredible. Nearly ½ million

people visited the mountain between mid June

and the end of October last year – an increase

of 27% on the previous year’s figures.

In addition to this incredible response, receiving

these awards by organisations which are

internationally renowned for their expertise in the

construction and architectural fields not only

confirms that we were successful in the task we

set out to accomplish, but they’re also a tribute

to all the workers associated with the hard task

of building Hafod Eryri.”

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Land signing marks historic day for Land signing marks historic day for Land signing marks historic day for Land signing marks historic day for

Park AuthorityPark AuthorityPark AuthorityPark Authority

The first day of this year’s Pembrokeshire County

Show marked an historic occasion for the

National Park Authority as it officially designated

22 hectares of Access Land in Freshwater East.

Members of Freshwater East community joined

Welsh Assembly Government Minister for

Environment, Sustainability and Housing, Jane

Davidson, and the Chairman and officers of the

Park Authority for the official signing at the

County Show.

Speaking at the event, Authority Chairman

Richard Howells said: “The designation of Access

Land will dedicate a new right of access on foot

for the public and will complement existing

public access provided by the Coast Path and

public rights of way at Freshwater East.

 

“Landowners can dedicate Access Land under

the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 but

to our knowledge, few local authorities or private

landowners appear to have used this power in

Wales.  

“We hope that the example it sets will

encourage more local authorities in particular to

adopt this course of action. Where there is a

history of public access and recreation is

considered to be sustainable activity, there are

clear advantages to landowners to dedicate

Access Land.”  

“The dedication of public access rights at

Freshwater East fulfils a long term commitment of

the National Park Authority to meet local

community aspirations for the protection of

public access across the Burrows.”

The dedication of Access Land is an irrevocable

act providing the permanency and certainty of

access rights which can be enjoyed by future

generations and which the local community has

desired for many years.

It also marks the first of a number of National Park

Authority land holdings which will be designated

as Access Land over the next few years.

The National Park Authority began preparations

to dedicate Access Land in Freshwater East in

2008 which involved consultation with over 80

households and several organisations.

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Foundations for learning through playFoundations for learning through playFoundations for learning through playFoundations for learning through play

Children from

Sageston CP School

displayed their

pinchpots,

paintings and

poems amongst

other creative

works at Carew

Castle at the end of

June.

The Lesser Hall

came to life with

buntings and

banners, swords

and shields

produced by the 24

children in a

number of sessions

at Carew Castle, which is managed by the

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.

Sageston CP School Headteacher Mrs Joan

Morris said: “It has been a tremendous

opportunity for our pupils to work in such a

stimulating environment. The range and scope

of activities undertaken at the castle have

inspired the children to be creative and

enthusiastic about learning.

James Parkin, Director of Recreation, Marketing

and Communications for the Authority attended

and observed: “It was a superb example of how

much children learn through play and what

better place to spark the imagination than

Carew Castle!”

Love LlandoveryLove LlandoveryLove LlandoveryLove Llandovery launches new hope launches new hope launches new hope launches new hope

for townfor townfor townfor town

This month, Llandovery - one of Wales’ most

picturesque market towns - launched its ‘Love

Llandovery’ brand along with a vibrant new logo

to enhance its rural appeal with the aim of

sparking a life-long love affair with visitors to the

area.

Over one hundred people turned out to see

Love Llandovery launched with grand aplomb

at the Market Square on Saturday 14th August. 

A new Love Llandovery logo along with a giant

heart-shaped collage of over 400 personal

photographs representing what townspeople

love about their town was unveiled, along with

exciting news to launch the Llandovery Sheep

Festival which is due to take place on 24th-26th

September.

Love Llandovery’s visually attractive logo has

been created in the traditional colours of Wales

– red and green – that represent its cultural

heritage which the town’s people hope will

revitalise Llandovery as the quintessential Welsh

town on the border of Brecon Beacons National

Park, in the County of Carmarthenshire. The logo

will be used for all festivals, communications and

promotional campaigns as a simple yet powerful

image that people can easily identify with.

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Enterprising Wales 2010 – Success for Enterprising Wales 2010 – Success for Enterprising Wales 2010 – Success for Enterprising Wales 2010 – Success for

GwyneddGwyneddGwyneddGwynedd

The winner of Enterprising Wales 2010 is a scheme

to promote enterprise and innovation, and to

create business opportunities in Gwynedd.  The

news was announced at the 2010 Royal Welsh

Show as the Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn

Jones presented to Enterprising Wales award to

Gwynedd Economic Partnership for its Llwyddo

yng Ngwynedd project.

One of the main aims of the project is to develop

an enterprising population, and an extrovert and

confident culture amongst the people and

communities of rural Gwynedd.

Llwyddo yng Ngwynedd  works with target

groups which have not yet met their

entrepreneurial potential.   The programme is

made up of a series of projects which are

operational in Gwynedd, through the Rural

Development Plan for Wales (2007-2013) and is

aimed towards encouraging enterprise and

innovation in rural Gwynedd.   Llwyddo yng

Ngwynedd is run by Gwynedd Economic

Partnership, which includes representatives from

a wide range of organisations, including

Snowdonia National Park.

Green coastal corridor boosts Green coastal corridor boosts Green coastal corridor boosts Green coastal corridor boosts

biodiversitybiodiversitybiodiversitybiodiversity

A ‘green

highway’

running along

the county’s

coastal corridor

has provided a

biodiversity

boost thanks to

the work of the

Pembrokeshire

Coast National Park Authority and its partners.

The green corridor is the end result of long-term

conservation planning by the Authority to

promote biodiversity.

Head of Conservation, Mike Howe, said: “The

breakup of habitats by human activities is one of

the most important threats to biodiversity, and as

2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity, it’s

fitting that we have been able to develop work

on sites across the Park to combat this issue.

“Overall, habitats are in much better condition

and linkages within and beyond the site

boundaries are much improved. The coast

From Open Space to Cyber Space From Open Space to Cyber Space From Open Space to Cyber Space From Open Space to Cyber Space

The presence of the National Parks on the Internet continues to grow. Most of the UK National Park

Authorities, including all three Welsh NPAs are engaging with social networking and are raising the

online presence of National Parks.

If you want to read their profiles, pages, tweets and channels, which all provide continual up to

date information. The National Parks Portal contains a comprehensive selection of appropriate links.

That page is accessed via this website address :

http://www.nationalparks.gov.uk/aboutus/ourwebsites.htm

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corridor around Pembrokeshire is now an

excellent example of a functioning green

highway.

“It’s really important that the Authority can

continue this important core conservation work,

helping to improve the Park’s biodiversity,

despite operating in a tough economic climate.”

Working with partners including the National

Trust, Wildlife Trust West Wales, Countryside

Council for Wales, MoD, Pembrokeshire

Biodiversity Partnership and South Hook LNG, the

National Park has been aiming to reinstate the

network of wildlife friendly corridors and to

manage and enlarge the key wildlife habitats

that make up the fabric of the countryside.

Work on the Miners’ PathWork on the Miners’ PathWork on the Miners’ PathWork on the Miners’ Path

Following detailed consultation with SNPA’s

Disability Forum, Northern Snowdonia’s Access

Forum, local landowners and Gwynedd

Council’s Highway Department, contractors

have been working on  repairing and

maintaining sections of Snowdon’s Miners

Track  as part of SNPA’s annual programme of

improvements.

Hywel Jones, SNPA Access Project Officer said,

“The work on the Miners Track is  part of a general

planned programme of repair and maintenance

within   a   much broader programme of

improving access in the National Park.”

“On three small sloping sections of the path

between Llyn Teyrn and Llyn Llydaw, to ensure

better access and longevity of the surface, we

have had to use durable methods and, in this

instance, tarmac topped with crushed granite

was used. This will now enable more people of all

abilities to use the track from Pen y Pass to Llyn

Llydaw, and it also forms part of our continuous

vision to improve access and enjoyment to all.”

The Miners’ Track to Llyn Glaslyn was built during

the last century to serve the Britannia Copper

Mines. The track to the lake is still almost a road,

and provides an exciting and safe mountain

walk for people with little experience of

mountains. The path beyond Llyn Llydaw to the

summit is considerably steeper and is not

accessible to wheelchair users.    

‘Snowdonia for All', is a project run by SNPA

which aims to  encourage disabled people,

people with restricted mobility or parents who

have young children to visit Snowdonia and

have an enjoyable and relaxing time. As part of

this project, Snowdonia National Park Authority’s

Wardens Service provides an annual

programme of events for people of all abilities,

from wheelchair users walks to walks for the

visually impaired.

You can learn about WANPA at

www.nationalparkswales.gov.uk. Most of our work, including

seminar materials, consultation responses and position

statements are constantly being made available on the site

and comments are always welcome wanpa@anpa.gov.uk.

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Open Farm Sunday success at Open Farm Sunday success at Open Farm Sunday success at Open Farm Sunday success at

LlanthonyLlanthonyLlanthonyLlanthony

Glorious sunshine, a stunning location and the

promise of a huge variety of  farming activities

brought hundreds of people flocking to the

Llanthony Valley for Open Farm Sunday at the

end of June.

Organised as part of Open Farm Sunday and

Wales Biodiversity Week, the event explored how

Llanthony Court Farm combines traditional hill

farming with landscape management,

biodiversity and the visiting public.

Llanthony Court Farm’s owner Colin Passmore

and his family worked with Brecon Beacon

National Park Authority, and dozens of

supporting partner organisations to make the

day a resounding success. Activities on offer

included pony trekking, sheep shearing and

plant life talks.

Possibly the most popular attraction was the

heavy horse and timber extraction from the

wood near to the farm.  Visitors admired a

beautiful Ardennes horse doing the kind of work

it’s ancestors were bred for - extracting timber

from a conservation woodland.  Dense

woodland and steep slopes makes it virtually

impossible to use a tractor so a heavy horse such

as the Ardennes is ideal to work in such a difficult

spot.

Owner of Llanthony Court Farm Colin Passmore

said:  “The enthusiasm of the National Park staff

volunteers and neighbouring farmers who gave

such interesting presentations about the

countryside and farming made this a most

rewarding day.”