Sian Lloyd and Lembit Opik

Sian Lloyd and Lembit Opik give it some welly at Granllyn Pool

Following a enthusiastic community campaign to extend Granllyn Pool, a small community wood at Guilsfield near Welshpool, in the care of Coed Cadw (the Woodland Trust), work is now starting to plant the 2 ha (5.1 acre) extension to the site with native trees. TV personality and meteorologist Siân Lloyd, and her fiancé and Montgomeryshire MP, Lembit Opik, will be getting muddy starting the work at 11am on Saturday 20 November.

Organised by Coed Cadw (the Woodland Trust), the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity, this tree planting is part of Tree For All, the ambitious new tree planting campaign which aims to plant a tree for every child in the UK over a five year period, 12 million in total, and to involve 1 million children in doing this.

Contractors preparing the site noticed that the rare great crested newts, for which the site has been designated a Special Area of Conservation under European Law, were still active and had not hibernated as expected. This meant that there was a risk that these rare animals could be trampled under foot by those taking part in the big tree planting event that had been planned for Saturday 20 November.

As a responsible landowner, and a conservation charity, Coed Cadw felt it had no choice but postpone the big public planting day. This will now take place on Saturday 22 January, with a schools planting event the same week. Whilst Lembit Opik and Siân Lloyd will still plant trees this Saturday, this will be a very low key event compared to what was planned, with correspondingly less risk of any disturbance to newts.

Great crested newts are one of only three species of newt native to Britain. They are also the largest, and the rarest. They have a slimy, warty skin and are blackish above with a golden yellow bellow. About 16cm long, they are declining in numbers, and are protected by law. It was only after Coed Cadw acquired Granllyn Pool in 1998 as part of its successful Millennium Woods on your Doorstep project, that the site was properly surveyed for wildlife, and that it was realised how important it is for great crested newts.

Jonathan Gilpin of the Countryside Council for Wales, which is responsible for ensuring that Special Areas of Conservation are treated properly said: "We appreciate that it was a difficult decision to postpone this event and we are aware of the disappointment this will cause in the local community. However, Great Crested Newt is a highly protected species and by law, every effort must be made to ensure populations are not disturbed."

Siân Lloyd says: "Tree For All will show that with a little help, children in Wales can help to restore our landscape for the better. What a wonderful way to inspire children to understand the importance of caring about nature in a world where its future is under threat from climate change. One individual act of planting a tree, multiplied thousands of times, paints a marvellous picture of collective action to care about the world we all share. Tree For All, it's great news for Wales so come on everybody, go out and 'give it some welly!'"

Granllyn Pool is one of the 250 community woods in Wales, England and Northern Ireland created as part of Coed Cadw’s Millennium Woods on your Doorstep project. A shallow lake occupies most of the site. There is no stream inflow or outflow and water levels normally fall in summer. Most of the pool is covered with sallow willow and tall emergent pond vegetation including bur-reed, yellow flag, bulrush and bottle sedge. The site includes some gently sloping land around the Pool. This was improved cattle grazed pasture until 1998. Most of this land was planted with native broadleaved trees in November 1999. Like almost all Coed Cadw woods, Granllyn Pool is open for the public to visit at any time, for free. It now has its own website at: www.wt-woods.org.uk/granllynpool This includes a whole range of information about the site and its management, including an interactive map.

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

Ben Earl (Regional Development Officer, Coed Cadw) on 07767 411769

Rhydian Roberts (Woodland Officer, Coed Cadw) on 01745 818808 or 07884 113821

or The Woodland Trust Press Office on 01476 581121, e-mail media@woodland-trust.org.uk

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 129 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.woodland-trust.org.uk. The Trust adopted a new Welsh language name in 2000: "Coed Cadw". This is an old Welsh term, used in medieval laws to describe protected or preserved woodland.