The Land >>

Achievements

• Secured a grant from Cydcoed to develop community woodland areas and to build a barn for forestry work and timber processing.
• The securing of a tree planting grant from the ‘C-Change Trust’, with its official launch, and out first tree planting area in February 2007.
• The sale of around 650 cu m of standing timber to a local saw mill (to clear the area for the barn) in June 2007.
  Groups of school children from the local Tremoilet Primary School, and outdoor pursuit centre in Pendine coming to attend ‘Forest School’ Education days. The education initiative by Caz Phillips and friendly neighbours, have done a great deal to further strengthen links with the local community.

Other education courses have taken place on the site including, ‘Forest Gardening’, ‘Bushcraft’, and ‘Chainsaw- maintenance and felling small trees’.

Further site study work has been progressing during 2007 including bird surveys by another neighbour, an archaeological survey from the ‘Better woods for Wales’ scheme, Flora and Fungi studies by Andy Bater, and preparation of maps and charts by Russell Miller for people on site to note down observations of wildlife.

Keeping site infrastructure work moving forward at the same time as keeping up with the timetable for the Cyd Coed grant spend work has been something of a challenge.

Acquisition of a static caravan to form a site office has helped this process a great deal. Compost systems, toilets and hand washing facilities have been added, tool and p.p.e. purchases, and a tool shed installation, a car parking area near the entrance and a hard-standing area in Marros North, filling potholes on the track and clearing and establishing paths. At the time of writing, a bore hole is being sunk so that we will have a proper clean water supply to supplement our rainwater collection.