Land Purchase at Cefn Coch
Cefn Coch is an upland area of 350 acres, mainly moorland which is largely dominated by purple moor grass. Sheep grazing was reduced about 10 years ago, and over the last 4 years it has been ungrazed. At the lower parts, down to about 100m above sea level, there are some mature native trees amongst bracken, and young trees starting to colonise. The land rises to 388m where the top of the hill at Bwlch Corog is marked with a cairn. Young native trees have started to colonise onto the edge of the moorland along the boundary with a forestry plantation.
This unproductive piece of land was identified many years ago by the Cambrian Wildwood team as a suitable core area for the project. It has no nature designations and little current interest, making it highly suited to the restoration of wildlife that we are seeking to achieve. It is also strategically located between two ‘Site of Special Scientific Interest’ heather moorlands and two very picturesque wooded valleys, also designated as ‘Site of Special Scientific Interest’ and ‘Special Area of Conservation’. Restoring Cefn Coch to a natural landscape of native woodland and sparsely wooded heather moorland with some open ground will achieve a big part of connecting these areas to create a large area for wildlife. The property also neighbours government land, providing good potential for restoring nature over a much bigger area if we can influence management here.
If the purchase price can be raised now, it will save the site from going under conifers and enable us to restore the area for wildlife, and create trails and camping pitches for people to enjoy this wild and remote place. A sum of £200,000 has been pledged for the purchase of Cefn Coch, on condition that Wales Wild Land Foundation works in partnership with a bigger, more established charity. We are fortunate to find a very enthusiastic and experienced partner in the Woodland Trust. The establishment of a large area of native woodland in the uplands is in line with their priorities. They are also interested in our experimental approach to establishing new areas of woodland using natural colonisation, boosted by small amounts of planting where there is limited existing tree cover.
The donations and pledges we have received from Wildwood Founders and other supporters, totalling around £36,000 to date, are a crucial factor in enabling the current arrangement to go ahead. They provide material confirmation of the level of support for Cambrian Wildwood, and indicate the commitment of the team. We are hoping that these funds will not be required by the current appeal so that they can go towards further land purchase and there may be other options. Donors will be contacted before making any decisions on this.
Woodland Trust are running the appeal to raise the other £150,000 required for the purchase, with a deadline of end of May agreed with the vendor. If all goes to plan, Woodland Trust will become the freeholder and pass the property on to Wales Wild Land Foundation under a 125 year lease. We will then manage the project on the land and thereby establish a large area of wildwood.
Until the end of May (2017), we are encouraging anyone who wants to support Cambrian Wildwood to donate to this Woodland Trust appeal.
Woodland Trust appeal
I’m looking forward to seeing the start of the project and have the opportunity to see the changes.
I hope this gets the funding. A great project
It is worth looking at the web site of the Colne Valley Tree Society located inthe Colne Valley near Huddersfield. A volunteer group of local people who decided to over come 200 hundred years of environmental degradation in the early 1960’s. Every winter since then they have raised money from various sources , including the local council and have then bought trees and planted them each winter. Why i have mentioned this, was they developed the idea of creating the Colne Valey wild wood. Increadibly this project is on going , they have planted wellover 300,000 trees. Because of the time scale involved they have created a mosaic of woodland cover in a once badly polluted semi rural area in the heart of the pennines. The natural and physical regeneration of the valley is incredible.
One of the most heart warming things to happen was a donation of £2,000 from a Mr Skye to plant a community woodland. He had as a Young Jewish refugee from Austria escaped Hitler and found refuge in Huddersfield. He wanted to help plant a forest that would match his memories of the forests in Austria. With cooperation of Yorkshire Water this happened around Scamonden Reservior, infact it kick started a major ongoing woodland creation scheme which is at the heart of a much loved country park. Since then Yorkshire Water has worked very closely with both the Colne Valley Tree Society and the White Rose Forest project. From a small acorn has grown a major community initiative to re wood the valleys and cloughs of the south pennines.
John, Thank you for this information and account, it is indeed an inspiring story. I have a very good friend in the CVTS, by the name of Geoffrey. I really enjoyed watching the film ‘Tree People’ about the society. For many years I have been meaning to come and join you for a Saturday morning of planting, a visit to Colne Vally is well overdue. The reward at The Sair afterwards is well worth the journey from Aberystwyth in itself. Thank you for connecting with us. I look forward to meeting you. cheers, Simon