New consultation invites people to help shape the design for the commemorative woodland at Brownhill
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is inviting people to share their views to help shape the design for the new commemorative woodland at Brownhill in the Tywi valley, Carmarthenshire.
The site at Brownhill has been confirmed as one of three planned locations for memorial woodlands in Wales, which were announced earlier this month by the First Minister Mark Drakeford. The ambition is for the woodlands to be seen as a symbol of Wales’ resilience during the Covid-19 pandemic and one of regeneration and renewal as they grow.
The purpose of the consultation is to allow NRW to seek feedback from local communities and partners on the plans for the woodland to help shape the design and ongoing management for the future.
The consultation will also ensure any potential impacts on the surrounding area are considered and offer the opportunity for people to put forwards ideas on how they can be involved with the planning process.
As part of the consultation, NRW will also be holding a community drop in event for residents to attend and speak with staff, on the 9 March at Llangadog village hall between 12:00-7:00pm.
The new woodland will form part of the Welsh Government Woodland Estate which is managed by NRW on behalf of Welsh Government, and the National Forest for Wales.
The site will be planted to ensure the new woodland is diverse and resilient to the impacts of pests, diseases, and climate change and will create habitat connectivity in the landscape, due to surrounding woodland, mature hedges and veteran trees.
It is also flat, and therefore creates the opportunity for creating fully accessible trails.
Miriam Jones-Walters, Specialist Advisor Land Stewardship for NRW said:
Our forests and woodlands provide people with safe, open spaces for recreation and reflection, allowing people to connect with nature and improve their well-being, as well enhancing our environment and biodiversity.
We hope the woodland at Brownhill will become a living, growing area for the community to enjoy, and a place where people can visit to remember their loved ones.
As part of our plans, we want to work closely with families, communities, and partners to seek their views in planning and shaping the woodlands in to safe, accessible spaces for reflection and recreation.
We would encourage people who live in the area to come along on 9 March or take part in our online consultation and have their say.
We intend this to be just the beginning of our consultation, and there will be other opportunities over the spring and summer to help plan and shape this site. There is an option on the online consultation for you to provide contact details so we can keep you updated.
The consultation opens on 1 March and closes on 26 April 2022.
The community drop-in event will be held at Llangadog Village Hall on 9 March from 12:00 – 7:00pm
To find out more about the plans for the woodland and have your say please visit:
Alternatively, residents can call 0300 065 3000 to request a hard copy of the consultation.