Breathing Spaces: Autumn 2011

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Autumn 2011

breathing spaces newsletter of National Parks Wales

Delivering Biodiversity in an economically deliver more benefits for biodiversity by fully embracing the ecosystems approach. challenging time Margaret Underwood,

National Parks are at the forefront of adapting in changing times and developing sustainably by “A light bulb moment” promoting the economic and social benefits of “Challenging” nature and other natural services, such as clean “Some new approaches to think about” water, healthy soils and biodiversity. So having the opportunity to visit two unique projects that These were just some of the comments from embodied these aspects gave Members a real National Park Members after attending their opportunity to see how real ecosystems can annual seminar at the beginning of October. The benefit within National Parks. seminar - hosted by Brecon Beacons National Park Authority - was entitled “Delivering Both projects are located in the Brecon Beacons Biodiversity in an economically challenging - the Environment Agency’s Cynrig Hatchery at time”. The challenge facing Members was to Cantref and a water vole re-introduction maintain our current work of conserving and scheme at Llangorse Lake. Both projects deliver enhancing biodiversity and build on that work to huge benefits to the environment, and give

Plan Greener 85.8% of renewable energy planning applications to the National Park Authorities were approved over the past 5 years. Non-National Park planning authorities approved 88.7% of applications over the same period. 1


communities a boost through income from angling and other forms of sustainable recreation as well as offering opportunities to demonstrate ecosystem benefits in action. They were joined on these project visits by Welsh Government Minister for Environment and Sustainability, John Griffiths AM who spent a morning with Members discussing the pressures National Parks face in the future.

National Parks have a significant contribution to make to this agenda. Maintaining a strong connection between a healthy environment and sustainable communities is key to the role National Parks play.

Members enjoyed a lively presentation on ecosystems, the ecosystem approach by Brecon Beacons Biodiversity Officer, Gareth Ellis. Many hailed it as one of the highlights alongside a The Minister said thought provoking after dinner speech by Clive Bates, Welsh Government Director for “Sustainability and Sustainable Futures. the protection of our extensive and Perhaps the most challenging presentation was diverse biodiversity the possibility of using natural assets to generate are key to income by trading in the carbon offsetting improving the market. While this will need legislation in the wellbeing of the future, it has the potential to provide the means people of Wales, of securing income to manage those valuable and those of the areas such as peat bogs to act as carbon sinks wider world. into the future. These areas also have a vital role Through the to play in improving water quality, acting as development of giant filters, helping to tackle increasing our Natural problems of discoloured water and thus Environment managing yet another vital resource – water. Framework it is our aim to ensure that Wales has Conventional wisdom suggests that the increasingly resilient and diverse ecosystems that environment and biodiversity declines during deliver social, environmental and economic periods of economic uncertainty. Our seminar benefits.” has shown us that this need not be the case. Nature provides many of our vital services for free For NEF “A Living Wales” to reach its full potential, and through the National Parks - Welsh new and innovative approaches to the Welsh Biodiversity can help. environment, economy and society will be required and the seminar demonstrated that

Invest Greener Over the next two years approximately £1.9million will be invested through the Sustainable Development Fund/CAE into communities within Wales’ protected landscapes.

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Bumblebees win army of fans in National Authority Members give green light to Park MOD Range Brecon Beacons Local Development Plan Earlier this month Members of Brecon Beacons National Park Authority unanimously approved the changes to the Authority’s Deposit Local Development Plan (LDP) for submission to the Welsh Government for examination. The approval by Members of LDP Submission Documents follows four years of extensive consultation and engagement with National Park communities, partner organisations, landowners, agents and developers. This follows hot on the heels of LDP adoption by the Pembrokeshire Around 30 people attended a Bumblebee Coast and Snowdonia National Park Authorities – Celebration Day in August on the Castlemartin amongst the first in Wales. MOD Range, organised by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. Over the next six weeks, further consultation will take place on the proposed changes to the Equipped with butterfly nets and pots, the team plan, known as Focused Changes, addressing headed out onto the Castlemartin Range Trail to issues raised by the consultation on the Deposit search for some of the rarest bumblebees in LDP. Communities and stakeholders will once Britain. again have an opportunity to have their say, telling the Inspector whether the changes adParticipant Sue Beckett, visiting from the dress the issues raised during the deposit consulMidlands, said: “It’s been fascinating to learn tation. The Inspector will ultimately decide on about the bumblebees, I had no idea there were the final content of the LDP. 24 species. It’s inspired me to try to create a wildflower habitat in my garden to encourage more bumblebees.” The Bumblebee Conservation Trust won an online competition last year for funding from the European Outdoor Conservation Association for the Pembrokeshire Bumblebee Path Project. The funding helps to provide wildflower habitats for bumblebees along the Castlemartin Range Trail.

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Snowdonia National Park Reaches 60 A number of significant events have taken place over the past few months to celebrate Snowdonia National Park’s 60th anniversary. The events reflect the work undertaken by the National Park Authority for the benefit of communities within the Park and the visitors from all over the world who arrive to explore, experience or relax within its spectacular landscapes. The 60th anniversary provides an opportunity to acknowledge the hard work undertaken to improve the special qualities of the Park along with promoting the area for the benefit of the communities within its boundaries.

John Griffiths, Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development sent his support for the celebrations: "I congratulate all the staff at Snowdonia National Park for their 60 year's of hard work to safeguard our environment. Snowdonia, along with Wales' other national parks, is an example of Wales' beautiful and unique landscape. Our valued environment creates employment and income worth billions of pounds, offers us health, recreation, sport and learning opportunities. The Welsh Government is committed to supporting the landscape and has recently launched its Natural Environment Framework, 'A Living Wales', - a new framework for our environment, our countryside and our seas."

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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As part of the celebrations, two new footpaths Brecon Beacons National Park Authority have been opened, the Pen-y-Gwryd and takes lead role in securing €10million for Ardudwy Way. A number of guided walks have rural communities taken place including walks for the less able. Denis McAteer, Chairman of Y Cerddwyr (Ramblers Wales) commented on the opening of Taith Ardudwy Way - “Apart from the joy of walking in such a beautiful part of the country there is now a wealth of evidence about the health benefits associated with walking. This new trail will provide increased opportunities for everyone to get out in the fresh air. Also, properly promoted, this trail could attract new visitors to the area and bring direct benefits to the local economy.” Cyclists from the Snowdonia National Park Authority raised £1,133 in aid of Save the Children by successfully completing an 80 mile bike ride from the south to the north of the National Park. The team of 17 crossed the finishing line at Conwy having travelled through the heartland of Eryri. The programme of events culminated on the 18th October, the date that saw Snowdonia designated as a National Park in 1951. To mark the occasion, one of the Parks' cultural projects “The Wonders of Snowdonia” was presented to the public at Oriel Croesor, Croesor. The project, which runs throughout the year, celebrates the variety of wonders within the National Park through literary and visual interpretation. The 60 wonders nominated by the public showcases Snowdonia’s special qualities.

Brecon Beacons National Park Authority is celebrating with its twelve partners spread across Europe, after securing more than €10million for the benefit of rural communities over the next four years. The new project - called Rural Alliances - will start in late November, when the twelve partners and representative businesses will attend a meeting, hosted by the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority to plan their approach to challenge conventional approaches to rural development. The National Park Authority played a lead role in the successful application for ERDF co-financing which was officially given the green light on 12th October 2011 by the European Union’s Interreg IVB NWE Programme. The partners will support rural enterprises and communities to work together in new alliances to generate new business opportunities, safeguarding and improving rural services and making their areas special places for people to visit, relocate to and raise their families. The project will last four years with support from the EU and local partner funds aimed at international networking, training, exchange visits and the benefit of exchanging best practice between different EU regions.

Go Greener Between 2009/10 and 2010/11 the National Park Authorities reduced carbon emissions by an average 10.25%, far exceeding the Welsh Government’s 3% annual target! 5


Challenge to save lost lichens of Tycanol A Gift To The Park From Snowdonia’s National Nature Reserve Visitors Internationally important lichens will be lost in a On October 13th, Snowdonia National Park National Park woodland unless action is taken to hosted a Visitor Gifting Conference at Plas Tan y reinstate the conditions in which they thrive. Bwlch Study Centre, Maentwrog. Tycanol National Nature Reserve is one of only six Welsh wood pasture sites of international importance for the 400 species of lichen which grow there. Lichens thrive in open, light conditions, but in Tycanol these conditions are rapidly being lost as the tree canopy becomes more and more dense.

With the assistance of partners from the private, public and voluntary sectors, the conference explored ways in which businesses, attractions and destinations within the National Park can offer additional value to visitors through innovative schemes, funded largely by the visitors themselves.

Evidence from similar schemes in other parts of National Britain (the Lake District) and Europe and North Park America show that offering the visitor an Woodland incentive to invest or give, a small amount of Officer Celia money during a holiday stay, can benefit an Thomas area significantly. said: “While it looks very Such schemes are generally referred to as ‘visitor ‘Zen’like gifting’ or ‘visitor payback’ and are specifically and designed to allow visitors to an area to make a peaceful, direct contribution to conservation or heritage the mossy covering under the trees is out- schemes. competing the lichens for which the site is designated as a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Having heard about experiences from elsewhere Interest), NNR (National Nature Reserve) and delegates were able to discuss and debate the SAC (Special Area of Conservation). potential of such schemes within Snowdonia. “People are often alarmed when trees are felled, but we will work hard to achieve a balance between removing some of the trees and keeping the sense of place at Tycanol.”

Aneurin Phillips, Chief Executive of Snowdonia National Park said, “The conference is an opportunity to explore the potential of developing Visitor Gifting within the Snowdonia National Park. This conference will give our tourism sector the relevant background to consider whether such a scheme can be established for the benefit of businesses and tourists alike within the National Park”. 6


Balancing butterflies

brambles,

bracken

and

Keeping paths and Rights of Way clear in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park can be a thorny issue – literally, with a tricky balance to be maintained between conserving special habitats and keeping walkers safe, especially in coastal areas. The Park Authority’s Head of Recreation and Tourism Charles Mathieson said: “Our staff are trained to recognise important species, such as marsh orchids.” “We do our best to cut at times to maximise the biodiversity around paths, but this always has to be balanced against our duty of care to public health and safety and to keep Rights of Way open and available for use.” Mowing grassy slopes, such as those on the Castlemartin Range, also needs sensitive handling. The Park Authority’s Farm Conservation Officer Geraint Jones said: “We’ve recently carried out a mowing and baling exercise in Castlemartin deliberately late in order to give the flowering plants a chance to seed. There was a lovely show of flowering knapweed which is really important to bumblebees prior to hibernation.”

National Parks extend Rights of Way consultation The consultation period for the Public Rights of Way network questionnaires has been extended until the 18th November giving more people the opportunity to have their say on what they think of the current network. In view of the level of interest shown by the public, Brecon Beacons and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authorities have decided to extend the consultation period which invites people to take part in their Public Rights of Way network questionnaire so that they can review and assess the network’s value and effectiveness. This joint review will enhance the current work that is being undertaken by both National Parks on their Rights of Way Improvement Plans.

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