Cradle for Nature Access and Maintenance

We had an excellent day this week at our Cradle for Nature site, a small woodland planted on coal spoil above Varteg. We were clearing a path through the wood, to improve access so we can showcase how to plant trees on compacted coal spoil - not easy. It was a really top team out and we beat the weather. Well, almost…

As part of our access improvements we've included new stiles and opened up the original path through this 30yr old research site. We also visited the neighbouring Pontypool Community Council woodland and wild habitat sites. These two sites are in close proximity to the Cradle for Nature site and together we can learn about the diverse habitats that can regenerate in (and provide improvements to) the degraded soils on these sites.

This is the first in a number of steps we're taking to develop learning from the site and explore how this might help future projects supporting social and ecological regeneration in the South Wales valleys and beyond.

A huge thanks to the Network for Social Change who have supported our work.