Wye Valley Natural Assets – a wildlife tourism research project
Radnorshire Wildlife Services has secured £8,000 to support a study into the potential for developing wildlife tourism along the upper Wye. The funding is from the Innovative Tourism strand of the programme being developed by Glasu, the Powys rural development initiative which is partly funded through the Rural Development Plan for Wales. The study which begins in January will lead to a report in March 2012 outlining how access to robust sites could be improved and how opportunities for increasing the economic value of wildlife related activities might be developed.
We will be talking to tourism providers from Rhayader to Hay on Wye and also taking in the main Wye tributaries such as the Elan, Ithon, Irfon and Llynfi. We want to engage with local businesses to increase biodiversity and connectivity throughout the project area. While RWT staff will carry out much of the study, Brecknock Wildlife Trust will also be closely involved. Tourism marketing expertise will be provided by Stephen Hughes a tourism consultant who also knows the area well.
