Woodland Trust – Coed Cadw
Beech pollards
The Woodland Trust (Coed Cadw) is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. We campaign to protect ancient woods, improve woodland biodiversity, increase native woodland cover and increase understanding and enjoyment of woods. We are part of the Stop Climate Chaos coalition.
We own and manage 8 woodlands in Monmouthshire, including:
- Cefn Ila – located about one mile west of Usk, purchased by Coed Cadw in 2007. It is 34 hectares comprising of a mixture of new native woodland
Ferns in the arboretum at Cefn Ila
and old Victorian pleasure grounds that includes an arboretum, walled garden and an old orchard. There are already species rich hedgerows and veteran trees on the site. The new planting at Cefn Ila links different areas of ancient woodland outside the site, vital for improved woodland resilience. Coed Cadw were successful in harnessing a grant from Heritage Lottery Fund to carry out landscape restoration and improved access works with involvement of the local community. There is a blog about Cefn Ila, where you can keep up to date with latest developments. There are volunteering opportunities for those who might like to become more involved.
- Wentwood is a remnant of a vast area of woodland that once covered the slopes of the escarpment that looks over the Gwent Levels towards the Severn Estuary. Centuries ago Wentwood would have stretched from Newport all the way to the Wye at Chepstow. Wentwood is large, and at 1000 hectares it’s Wales’ largest area of ancient woodland. It supports wide range wildlife, with many species of birds including nightjars, wood warblers and spotted flycatchers. Mammals include dormice and fallow deer. A rich ancient woodland flora includes wild daffodils, wood sorrel and bluebells. It was first planted with conifers from 1880, and most of the broadleaved trees had been felled by the Second World War. Further planting of mostly conifers took place in the 1950s and 1960s. Despite this, ancient woodland plants and wildlife have survived. Coed Cadw was able to purchase over 350 hectares of Wentwood in 2006 following a public appeal and is now carrying out restoration, converting the woodland back to native broadleaves by gradually removing the exotic conifers, and returning it to its former glory for wildlife and people.
View of Wentwood Forest with Wentwood reservoir in the foreground
To find out more about our work or to make a donation, visit our web site www.coedcadw.org.uk
Contact details: