Cwm Marteg Project - bringing wetlands back to life

This is an exciting 3 year Living Landscapes project which began in March 2010, based in the Marteg Valley just north of Rhayader, where our Gilfach and Cefn Cenarth nature reserves are situated. Project Officer Darylle Hardy plans to work with the local community to find out more about wildlife in the valley and work towards enhancing and connecting wildlife habitats throughout the catchment.

The project has these particular key aims:

• Slimy and fishy: to work with the community to find out more about the less 'charismatic' species of the catchment - bullheads, lamprey, eels, mosses and lichens
• Furry flagships: to monitor water vole presence in the catchment and encourage the control of American mink
• Tickling trout: to work with landowners to promote environmentally-positive land management and functioning wetland ecosystems
• Wildlife schools:workshops to enable all sorts of people in theMarteg Valleyto understand more about their local wildlife and the environment

Find out more about the project here.

Acknowledgements

The Cwm Marteg Project Officer has been kindly funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, the Countryside Council for Wales and the Oakdale Trust.

A small grant has been received from Powys Environmental Partnership to kickstart activities in the project including initiating a newsletter, village hall hire and basic equipment for wildlife survey work.