Gwydir Forest (Parc Coedwig Gwydir) and "PAWS"

cantclimbtom

cantclimbtom

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This may be political and inappropriate for the site. Wales Mods to judge this one: Posted as I think many site users will be familiar with this forest, so it may be of interest to forum users

Don't know how many people are aware, but there's an dogma held by a growing number of people that non native species, including non native trees are detrimental to UK's environment. Which species are ancient/native? (Muntjac, Rabbits, Carp, Horse Chestnut Pear or Apple trees are just a few non native examples) well the date picked is 1600.. and an arbitrary line is drawn. Anything before 1600=good and anything after 1600=bad. The fact that climate change and disease might mean that 1600 ecology isn't the most appropriate for climate change future, or that every inch of the UK is human-cultivated anyway doesn't factor. A 1600s ancient wood full of mighty oaks, ash, elm and red squirrels is their dream. Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, Western Hemlock are not .

Let's be clear, this isn't about a sensible policy like planting more deciduous trees (instead of planting coniferous ones), the scope includes felling mature "bad" trees to clear the land then waiting for nature to reseed it with "good" "native" trees, in particular for Gwydir: oak. To improve the environment.

Gwydir Forest was identified as a Plantation on an Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS) and as such "needs" to be cleared. So felling Gwydir Forest to "improve" the environment. And hope that over time deciduous trees will grow back in time.

If you think I've made this up, or read this on a conspiracy site.. this comes from NRW (Natural Resources Wales). They intend to "restore" Gwydir Forest by felling the trees.



www.forestryjournal.co.uk

The inside story of Wales' bid to restore its ancient woodlands

Kath McNulty is leading one of the most ambitious ancient woodland restoration projects in the UK.
www.forestryjournal.co.uk www.forestryjournal.co.uk

What isn't clear on the video above or weblink is that she is senior, an executive, an actual decision maker, not just a "team leader" of a couple of people. She also describes herself on linkedin as National Manager Confor (confederation of forest industries) and NRW refer to her in 2021 as Specialist Advisor Forest Planning.

The government will pay £275 per hectare and that's on top of the value of the timber harvested. https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stew...odland-sites-paws-restoration-and-maintenance

This post is not made on the first of April, I wish it was... Go for walks in Gwydir Forest while you can
 
They should be doing this to the uplands that have been stripped bare due to generations of sheep farming rather than cut down perfectly good trees.
 
Trouble is, NRW (and the Foresty Commission before them) are pretty rubbish at communicating. There was a huge outcry a few years ago at Newborough when they told everyone they were going to cut down large swathes of the forest without taking the time to explain properly what they intended. Their actual intentions were excellent, and Newborough forest is now far more vibrant and better for wildlife than it ever had been before. While large areas had been completely sterile with nothing but pine needles on the ground and no birds to be heard, it's now a mix of greens, with trees of all ages and broadleaf slowly starting to dominate.
You notice the same thing driving through Coed y Brenin down towards Ganllwyd. It used to look like a different country, with huge firs all along. Take a good look next time you're passing through and decide which you genuinely prefer.
 
The gwydyr often gets ripped to shreds then self setters move in . The area changes dramatically very fast .

I have been going just under 5 years , I speak with rob.v very often. I have been told from Chris a lot of information , about changes over the years .

The biggest changes was 1940-1960 we don’t know much about the large destruction which took place then . from 1960-1990 certain individuals ruined lots of mining related stuff here and mid wales .



It’s an area I know extremely well , is like a 2nd home in the ochre !

They typically leave the very best trees standing , the most mature ones remain . Sites are getting cleared this month , the chainsaw crews have moved on to the next patch and the real “mature trees” are still standing







@Willy Eckerslyke do you know this spoil heap ?? That’s a tough one

 
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Willy Eckerslyke said:
Trouble is, NRW (and the Foresty Commission before them) are pretty rubbish at communicating. There was a huge outcry a few years ago at Newborough when they told everyone they were going to cut down large swathes of the forest without taking the time to explain properly what they intended. Their actual intentions were excellent, and Newborough forest is now far more vibrant and better for wildlife than it ever had been before. While large areas had been completely sterile with nothing but pine needles on the ground and no birds to be heard, it's now a mix of greens, with trees of all ages and broadleaf slowly starting to dominate.
You notice the same thing driving through Coed y Brenin down towards Ganllwyd. It used to look like a different country, with huge firs all along. Take a good look next time you're passing through and decide which you genuinely prefer.
Click to expand...
PAWS target is to remove non native trees to a target of 20% max. Or the other way round... removal of >=80% of the current trees.
An increase in diversity is good management, but 80% removal??
 
cantclimbtom said:
PAWS target is to remove non native trees to a target of 20% max. Or the other way round... removal of >=80% of the current trees.
An increase in diversity is good management, but 80% removal??
Click to expand...
But over what times scale? If spread over a decade it would be fine. And presumably the sheer amount of work means it would take a good while.
 
Is that Ardda? I remember that being fairly non-descript.


00813_ArddaPrimary.jpg
 
If anyone is interested in the 20th century history of the forest, particularly as it relates to forestry operations, there are a couple of books:

Gwydyr Forest in Snowdonia: A history, Donald L. Shaw, illustrations C.F. Tunnicliffe (Forestry Commission 1971)​
Tales from the Gwydyr Woods, D.L.Shaw (Forestry Commission, 1977)​

Both books are available from Gwynedd Libraries.

It's quite some time since I read Tales from the Gwydyr Wood, but if remember correctly it deals with the setting up of the Forestry Commission operations in the forest around 1921 and the establishment of small holdings in the forest, some of the personalities associated with the forest and the 1938 fire which involved 500 acres. There's not much mention of the mines but that's hardly surptising as, with the exception of Parc, they had pretty much ceased operation by the period covered in the book.

Dave
 
Willy Eckerslyke said:
Is that Prof Dave Shaw of Bangor Uni?
(Specialises in blight resistant potatoes for developing countries these days.)
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I don't think so. If I remember correctly Shaw was the son of the Forester and possibly had some position in the Forestry Commission himself. The family originally came from Scotland.
 
davel said:
Just remebered that Gwydyr Forest in Snowdonia: A history is available on line.
Click to expand...
#1 Definitely Ardda Sulphur mine
#2 Donald Shaw was a forester and lived at Pencraig Isaf on the road from Pont y Pair up to Nant B.H. His Tales From the Gwydyr Woods was an entertaining read, especially as I knew some of the characters mentioned. There was a bit of artistic licence employed in the writing, though! In those days the Forestry Commission, as it then was, directly employed a lot of men around Betws y Coed. Now all the work is done by contractors.
 
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