Public Health Wales have to dispose of surplus office furniture, including desks, chairs, filing cabinets, bookcases and white goods, by the end of August. Some is at Mamhilad House, Pontypool. Free of charge to third sector if you collect and transport. Contact Bethan.Downes@wales.nhs.uk or 02920 104334.
New duties for Natural Resources Wales placed upon them under The Environment Act and the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act call for new ways of working which support a more collaborative and, in some cases, a co- produced approach. NRW hope their new funding approach, developed in collaboration with key stakeholders, will support them to meet these duties. Work is now underway to begin developing the Commissioning Plans.
Funding will be available in the region of £3 million per year – subject to any reductions in NRW’s Grant In Aid. Partners will be able to apply for up to 3 years funding from 2018 – helping longer term planning. NRW will have a two stage process – inviting initial expressions of interest, followed by invitation to make a full application. An open call for projects to come forward with approaches to these challenges is currently envisaged to open by Spring 2018. It is likely that NRW will be able to provide interested parties with more detail about how expressions of interest may be submitted by October 2017.
Keep an eye on https://naturalresources.wales/about-us/funding/?lang=en
The Black Mountains Land Use Partnership has secured a grant of £1m from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) for its Sustainable Management Scheme project funded through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. This will ensure that the partnership can move forward in its aim to promote continued improvement, restoration and sustainable management of the natural resources of the Black Mountains. The pioneering partnership brings together key stakeholders in the area, including graziers from the Black Mountains Graziers Association and private land owners, along with public land owning bodies and support from the Young Farmers Club. Working together the partners aim to improve the viability and quality of the traditional farming practices that contribute to the sustainable management of natural resources. These will include bracken management, heather regeneration, improvement of grazing land and the protection of peat resources. Local communities will be involved through developing a rural skills programme, engagement with schools and the creation of employment opportunities including two partnership ranger posts.
Future Landscapes, the Welsh Government commissioned report on National Parks and AONBs, has provoked an influential body to warn that international recognition of these areas as protected areas could be withdrawn if the priority of nature conservation is reduced. Concern centres on whether economic development will be given undue policy emphasis. See www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/wales-national-parks-could-lose-13400448.
MCC has now advertised inviting applicants for a post to develop and lead on the delivery of walking and cycling plans and projects across Monmouthshire and to promote active travel to businesses, schools and colleges, services and facilities. Details available at http://www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/app/uploads/2017/07/170804-ROHT39-Assistant-Transport-Planning-Engineer.pdf. Closing date 4 August.
The Wye Valley AONB is promoting the two-year Youth Ranger Programme as part of the Foresters’ Forest Initiative. Sixty young people have taken part to date and enhanced their knowledge, experience and skills in all matters that fall within the countryside management sector; drystone walling, hedgelaying, coppicing, wildlife survey, farm visits, recreation, rural craft skills & heritage knowledge to name but a few. More information at http://www.wyevalleyaonb.org.uk/index.php/youth-rangers/. Register your interest today – there are free taster sessions in September. Young people who have taken part in Youth Rangers have found it useful in adding to their CV’s and when making personal statements for university applications.
Cabinet Secretary Lesley Griffiths has called for views, by 13 September, on how the Welsh public sector might be carbon neutral by 2030: http://gov.wales/newsroom/environmentandcountryside/2017/170705-welsh-public-sector-to-be-carbon-neutral-by-2030/?lang=en
http://gov.wales/topics/environmentcountryside/climatechange/public-sector-decarbonisation/?lang=en
The Brecon Beacons National Park Authority has commenced the process of reviewing the Rights of Way Improvement Plan for the National Park. The existing Plan set out how the Authority intended to improve access to the countryside between 2007 and 2017. The Authority will be undertaking a number of consultations over the Summer and Autumn and will endeavour to consult as many people and organisations as possible. Contact row@beacons-npa.gov.uk or 01874 624437. As the Plan will set the direction of the management of the rights of way and access provision for the next 10 years your input and opinion is crucial to the process.
As it becomes more evident that Wales will fall well short of meeting its carbon emission targets, the Woodland Trust has said Wales had not met its tree planting objectives and failed to address the need for them in the landscape to deliver key environmental, public and economic gains. The Climate Change Strategy of 2010 aspired to create 2000ha of new woodland every year; only 100ha have been planted in two of the last three years. Public opposition to conifers and onerous NRW regulations have been blamed.
MCC and the Welsh Government are holding a public exhibition of proposed plans to improve the A40/A466 Wye Bridge road junction at Monmouth. It is at the Shire Hall on Friday, 7 July (11am-7pm) and Saturday, 8 July (10am-5pm). The proposals are for a third southbound lane on the A40 and upgrading subway ramps.