The Woodland Trust are looking for volunteers at Cefn Ila, Usk, for two interesting projects/programmes – oral history and events: http://www.environmentjob.co.uk/volunteer/57508-oral-history-researcher?from_update=true and http://www.environmentjob.co.uk/volunteer/57506-event-volunteers-cefn-ila-monmouthshire-wales?from_update=true.  Apply soon!

Sue Parkinson has added a short piece to our Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/MonmouthshireGreenWeb – highlighting some of the major strands of a BTO report on Birds of Conservation Concern.

Planning minister Carl Sargeant has urged planning authorities to do more to ensure that green energy policies are set out in local development plans (LDPs).  The minister has written to voice his disappointment that although planning authorities have carried out renewable energy assessments as part of their LDP evidence base, this has not been translated into local policies (including siting) for five to 25 megawatt renewable energy schemes or other low-carbon technologies.  He says ‘The designation of such areas would show leadership at the local level, give certainty to the renewable energy industry in making investment decisions, and – through the LDP consultation process – would give communities a say as to where renewable energy developments should be located’.

A Chepstow man has been fined £1,500 and will have to undertake 250 hours of unpaid work after he admitted fly-tipping across Monmouthshire six times in just 17 days.  Andrew Mutlow, aged 22, of Western Avenue, dumped rubbish in Chepstow, Mathern, Rogiet, Portskewett and St Arvans over November and December 2014 despite being unregistered to dump waste.

GAVO’s January – March Training Programme is now available at http://www.gavowales.org.uk/training.

The Heritage Lottery Fund is holding a workshop at Caldicot Choir Hall, Mill Lane on the morning of Thursday, 21 January (9.30-12.30).  It is intended to help voluntary groups interested, now or in the future, in HLF funding, nervous about filling in those lengthy application forms.  No definite project idea is necessary, but you must book at development.monmouthshire@gavowales.org.uk.

The petition in support of the Wye Valley Shared Use Path – https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/restoring-the-disused-railway-line-from-chepstow-to-tintern-for-a-shared-use-path – has been running since May 2014 and has amassed 3686 signatures so far.   As A-B connecting Communities they are now looking for funding to achieve a shared use route from the Severn Bridge via the Wales Coastal Path to a new footbridge (to include cycles) across the River Wye at the Mabey National Shipyard development where, at Sedbury, it will connect with the originally proposed Railway Path to Tintern and onward up the Wye Valley.  Fresh planning applications and plans for the footbridge have been drafted but up to £5000 is needed for the submission costs. Donate at http://www.wyecycle.co.uk/donate/.

Renew Wales, the support group for community groups tackling climate change, is looking to recruit three Co-ordinators to cover the areas: Powys; The Eastern Valleys (Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen); North East Wales (Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham).  Renew Wales can offer around 20 days work (January 2016 to end of March 2018) at £275 a day (including VAT) to a local not-for-profit organisation to host a Renew Wales co-ordinator, who will support community groups to tackle the impacts and causes of climate change. Apply by Wednesday, 16 December; telephone interviews on 21 December. Full information from info@renewwales.org.uk.