22 March 2009
Local people get their chance to help create new native woodland in the foothills of Cadair Idris, the last stronghold of the Welsh Princes
As spring arrives, why not roll up your sleeves and improve the local environment for the future? Free public planting event Saturday 28 March 11am – 3pm
As winter finally turns to spring, tree planters of all ages will be getting the chance to plant thousands of trees at Coed Ysgubor Wen, a new native woodland being created by Coed Cadw (the Woodland Trust) in the scenic Dysynni Valley, near Llanegryn.
On Saturday 28 March, Coed Cadw (the Woodland Trust) is organising a community planting day, and everyone is invited. The event is free, and in order to ease parking problems, the Woodland Trust is asking people to use the special free shuttle bus from the car park at Bryncrug or the centre of Llanegryn, outside the village hall, starting at 11am and then every 30 minutes until after 3pm.
The new wood at Coed Ysgubor Wen is special; the tree planting there is being funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and will count towards the approximately 32,000 trees that the Welsh Assembly Government is planting every year to mark every birth and adoption in Wales, as part of its Plant! project. Elin Jones, the Welsh Assembly Government’s Rural Affairs Minister, visited Coed Ysgubor Wen herself in February, to mark the beginning of the tree planting at the site as part of the Plant! project.
The Woodland Trust acquired Coed Ysgubor Wen in 2007. Following consultation with the local community, it is moving ahead to plant trees, recreating native woodland on the middle slopes, as still exists in other parts of the valley.
Hannah Scrase who manages the wood for Coed Cadw says: “People like to mark important events in their lives like a new child, in a way that lasts and also makes a positive contribution to the environment. Planting a native tree is a popular way of doing this and the Dysynni Valley is a beautiful place to do it. In a few years these trees will grow, into a new woodland - Coed Ysgubor Wen – for the local community and visitors to enjoy. And this wouldn’t have been possible with the support fo the Assembly’s Plant! project.”
While the Dysynni Valley is quiet and peaceful today, this has not always been the case. Three miles to the east of Coed Ysgubor Wen stands Castell y Bere, a Welsh castle probably built by Prince Llywelyn ab Iorwerth (Llywelyn the Great) around 1221. This was the last Welsh castle to be captured by the English King Edward I in 1283, making the Dysynni Valley the last stronghold of the native Princes of Wales.
For media enquiries contact:
Rory Francis (Publicity and Public Affairs Officer for Wales) on 01766 832563 or 07760 171174 Afallon, Tanygrisiau, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd LL41 3RH Email roryfrancis@woodland-trust.org.uk
Or The Woodland Trust Press Office email media@woodland-trust.org.uk or Tel 01476 581121
Plant!
The Plant! scheme was launched in December 2007, and is a commitment in the One Wales programme as part of the Welsh Assembly Government’s drive to achieve a sustainable environment. By planting up to 30 hectares of new woodland a year, the scheme will make a significant contribution to the creation of a Welsh National Forest of native trees. For further details available on the Welsh Assembly Government website.
Coed Cadw (The Woodland Trust)
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters. The Trust has four key aims: i) No further loss of ancient woodland; ii) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods; iii) Increasing new native woodland; iv) Increasing people’s awareness and enjoyment of woodland.
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). These include over 100 sites in Wales, with a total area of 1,580 hectares (3,900 acres). It offers free public access to nearly all of its sites. Further news can be accessed via www.coed-cadw.org.uk The Trust adopted its Welsh language name in 2000: “Coed Cadw”. This is an old Welsh term, used in medieval laws to describe protected or preserved woodland.
Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission’s mission is to deliver ‘Better Woodlands for a Better Wales’. Their vision is that all woodland in Wales will be sustainably managed and valued by the people of Wales. They are the managers of the Welsh Assembly Government’s woodlands and outside the Assembly-owned woodlands they encourage sustainable woodland management through grant incentives and regulation including licensing for felling and replanting. http://www.forestry.gov.uk/wales
