Coetir Anian - Cambrian Wildwood

Habitats
In May we obtained 3 wild Carneddau ponies, a breed which has evolved to be distinct from others on the Carneddau mountains above Conwy in north Wales. They are uniquely adapted to Welsh upland moors and we therefore expect them to thrive. These are the first ponies we’ve had since the departure of our koniks in December 2023, and we are hopeful that their grazing will diversify the upland vegetation and grasses as the previous ponies did. From June-October this year we continue to graze our uplands with highland and Welsh white cattle which belong to a neighbour, this reduces dominance of molinia (purple moor grass) and aids restoration of healthy upland peat habitats.

As part of our landscape partner initiative with neighbouring landowners, we have now appointed a Ceidwad y Mynydd (mountain keeper / upland ranger and stock keeper) who is supporting our conservation grazing and habitat management plans by undertaking practical tasks including molinia mowing and stock care.

This summer we have been busy clearing bracken from around tree saplings to ensure their survival. We have worked on this with volunteers, and with contractors, including Handpowered, who cut bracken with scythes, and Carnog Working Horses, who use horses to pull a bracken roller.

Species
In July we were successful in finding Welsh clearwing, a rare day-flying moth which lives in old birch trees, using pheromone traps. We have been previously alerted to signs of this near our site but this is the first confirmed siting. We also found a lunar hornet moth using the same method.

New Steps and Woodshed
This summer we have installed some more steps on the path through our woodland, this time in our PAWS larch plantation which we are restoring to native woodland. We are working towards a circular footpath which allows you to explore our woodlands on both sides of the stream – the only bit missing now is a bridge!  We have also installed an extra woodshed in our education area, as well as one near our roundhouse allowing us to store the firewood from our larch thinning, to season and dry.

Community Activities
Youth activities have continued throughout the spring and summer. We have undertaken a series of primary school visits including a new Celtic rainforest art project with 3 rural primary schools. Children have worked with our staff and with a local artist to create a physical piece of art work on canvas, to create a rainforest den area for their classrooms, based on the learning about Celtic rainforests which took place on their visit to our site Bwlch Corog.

In June we held a 5-day youth camp hosting young people from the Ethnic Youth Services Team. Many of the young people involved arrived in Britain as refugees.  

We also held an overnight Wild Days Out summer camp for local teenagers in July, jointly with visitors from the Penpont project near Brecon, another project which aspires to empower young people to take part in nature restoration activities.

Community events have also continued with a Spring Celebration for families with young children and our annual Open Day, both held in May this year.  

Volunteers
Regular volunteer days have continued twice monthly, contributing to clearing bracken around saplings, monitoring bog vegetation on our uplands, chopping and stacking firewood. A number of our volunteers also took part in a scything course at Bwlch Corog in July.

Partnerships
In early 2025, we began delivery of our new Nature Networks Fund project, focused on the next phase of habitat restoration at Bwlch Corog. This includes additional woodland expansion, habitat enhancement and community engagement. Development work also began on the Integrated Natural Resources Scheme (INRS), a Welsh Government pilot initiative to support collaborative land management. Our new landowner group – Cwmwd Einion – includes five neighbouring holdings around the Pen Carreg Gopa SSSI. Over the next three years, the group aims to improve upland habitat condition and connectivity through changes to grazing, tree planting, peatland restoration and access improvements.

Trustees
In June we welcomed 7 new trustees to our board, to join the existing 5. With expertise wide ranging from species reintroduction and river restoration to arts, fundraising, volunteer management and higher education, we are excited to see the new energy they will bring to our governance structure.

Habitats

Peatland restoration at Bwlch Corog continues to progress well. Planted sphagnum moss is now spreading successfully across target areas, creating patches of healthy bog vegetation and supporting upland biodiversity. Water vole signs were recorded at several of the restored pools, alongside tadpoles and dragonflies.

Over the winter, approximately 300 native tree saplings were planted in targeted locations as part of our ongoing work to increase woodland and wood pasture. One hundred were protected using reusable cattle-proof guards, while others were planted in areas where grazing animals are excluded. Tree stock and guards were funded by the Nature Networks Fund and The Woodland Investment Grant, both supported by Welsh Government.

Selective thinning of the larch plantation resumed in March with local contractors, including former trustee Kara and Walkabout Ed, extracting timber for on-site use. Some timber was milled into planks using a mobile sawmill, with the remainder set aside as seasoned firewood or for building materials. Trees located further from the track were extracted by Carnog Working Horses. This work is supported by the National Forest for Wales Landscape Pilot, administered by WCVA through the Ceredigion Local Nature Partnership.

A new mower has been trialled with promising results, successfully cutting through dense Molinia tussocks. Used in combination with grazing, this approach is expected to reduce Molinia dominance and encourage a wider range of upland species.

Grazing by our trustee and neighbour’s cattle will resume shortly, with the animals due to return from their winter pasture. Their browsing and trampling are vital for managing bracken, bramble and Molinia in sensitive areas.

Ecologist Stuart Hedley conducted habitat monitoring focused on the bog and heath areas. Stuart has surveyed Bwlch Corog over many years and was encouraged by the improvement in ecological indicators across the site. He noted particularly positive progress in the restored peatland vegetation scrapes, where translocated sphagnum moss and cross-leaved heath (Erica tetralix) are now establishing well. These early signs of increased diversity are a strong indication that our land management interventions are moving the habitats in the right direction.

Species

In late March, local lepidopterist Phil McGregor visited Bwlch Corog to carry out a spring moth survey. Two species new to the site were recorded using light traps set in the larch plantation and the Celtic rainforest. These traps attract moths without causing harm; individuals are released after identification. The new records were a striking macro-moth, the Yellow Horned (Achlya flavicornis, or Tant Cyrn Melyn in Welsh), and a micro-moth, Diurnea fagella, also known as the Early Reveller or Tiwbig Mawrth. These discoveries bring the total number of moth species recorded at Bwlch Corog to 202.

Community Activities

Youth activities have continued through the Nature Ambassadors programme, offering participants a range of seasonal tasks and outdoor learning opportunities. Young people were involved in practical conservation activities such as planting trees, creating insect habitats, and learning about local wildlife.

Several school groups visited the site during the spring term. Activities included woodland and wetland exploration, nature-based games, and environmental learning. Sessions were tailored to the needs of different groups, including pupils with additional learning needs.

Preparations are underway for a series of community events, including a family spring celebration and the annual Open Day on Sunday 11 May.

We have also hosted a range of talks and visits, including a visit from Bangor University MSc Environmental Forestry students, and a talk to undergraduate students from Aberystwyth University’s Environmental Science course. Both sessions focused on our approach to landscape-scale habitat restoration and community engagement. We also gave a presentation to the Wildlife Trusts Wales Upland Network meeting, sharing insights from our work on ecological connectivity across multiple landholdings.

Volunteers

Regular volunteer days have continued across the site, contributing to tasks including tree planting, vegetation clearance, path improvements, and species surveys. Horse logging also offered opportunities for volunteers and visitors to learn about traditional methods and low-impact woodland management.

Most of the winter’s tree planting work was carried out by volunteers. In addition to planting, they assembled and deployed steel tree guards, helped with ecological monitoring, split and stacked firewood, and prepared materials for the construction of the new education shelter. One particularly productive day in January saw volunteers from Aberystwyth University’s Conservation Volunteers, Wolverhampton City of Sanctuary, and our regular local team working together to transport, assemble and install 75 steel tree guards on the upland – three quarters of the total for the whole winter. This is tough, physical work in difficult terrain, and we simply couldn’t get through it without the commitment and energy of our volunteers. Their contribution continues to be vital to the delivery of our habitat restoration and infrastructure projects.

Partnerships

In early 2025, we began delivery of our new Nature Networks Fund project, focused on the next phase of habitat restoration at Bwlch Corog. This includes additional woodland expansion, habitat enhancement and community engagement.

Development work also began on the Integrated Natural Resources Scheme (INRS), a Welsh Government pilot initiative to support collaborative land management. Our new landowner group – Cwmwd Einion – includes five neighbouring holdings around the Pen Carreg Gopa SSSI. Over the next three years, the group aims to improve upland habitat condition and connectivity through changes to grazing, tree planting, peatland restoration and access improvements.

Staff Changes

We said goodbye to two members of staff in March: Lora (Project Officer) and Neil (Habitats and Species Manager). Both have played a key role in managing Bwlch Corog and supporting our volunteer and youth programmes. Lora is taking up a new position as Ranger on Handa Island in northwest Scotland, while Neil has returned to RSPB Ynys-hir. He will continue to support Coetir Anian on a freelance basis where possible. We are very grateful to them both for their dedication and expertise.

Following the departure of two trustees announced in December 2024, we are now recruiting new trustees to join our board.

Big Give Green Match Fund Campaign

Donations are an essential part of how we fund our activities, and we are excited to announce our participation in the Big Give Green Match Fund campaign from April 22 to April 29. During this period, all donations made to our campaign will be doubled by Big Give, meaning your contribution will have twice the impact. If you believe in the importance of our work and would like to support us, this is the perfect time to donate. Simply visit our campaign page during the campaign week, and your donation will go even further in supporting our conservation efforts and community engagement initiatives. Your support truly makes a difference, and we’re grateful for any contributions you can make.