Ross Hoddinott/2020VISION
Past Projects
Radnorshire Wildlife Trust has a long history of delivering successful projects across Radnorshire, working together with communities, government organisations, landowners and others, inspiring people across the vice-county about wildlife and nature conservation.
Our recently completed projects:
Wilder Pentwyn Project
Wilder Pentwyn was a project funded for two years by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players. It enabled Radnorshire Wildlife Trust to forge ahead with its 30-year vision for a Wilder Pentwyn, to transform the land and work with communities and landowners to deliver nature recovery at scale.
A huge thank you to everyone who made this possible. Watch our project round up video below:
Biological Monitoring
Baseline soil, habitat, and species data were collected before the Wilder Pentwyn project. Since then, volunteers and ecologists have expanded surveys to include birds, butterflies, bees, moths, botany, and mammals, producing detailed habitat maps and species reports to guide management.
Forestry Work
Forestry restoration began in the South woodland to remove non-native Larch and Sitka spruce and restore native woodland through a phased, low-impact approach. Thinning was completed in early 2024, with further work planned in 4–5 years using Continuous Cover Forestry to maintain canopy, encourage diversity, and support sustainable timber.
Tree Planting
Volunteers planted native broadleaf trees in thinned areas and along the River Lugg using “sabre” planting, avoiding tree guards and fencing. More planting was done in winter 2024/25.
Hedgerow Management
Many hedgerows are being left to grow naturally, while two were restored using wildlife hedgelaying, a low-cost technique that regenerates old hedges and enhances habitats.
Wetland Creation
3.3 acres of wetland creation to help restore natural water flow and create habitat for amphibians and insects.
Meadow Creation
Green hay from local wildflower meadows was spread at Pentwyn to enrich grasslands, supported by volunteer efforts. Yellow rattle and wildflower seeds were also introduced on pig-disturbed soil to promote natural regeneration.
Species Reintroductions
In spring 2025, there was reintroduction of ten rare plant species and one lichen, including four Welsh priority species, to restore lost flora within grazed rewilding areas.
Local Wildlife Sites (LWS) Project
The project ran from March 2024 to March 2025 and was funded through the Welsh Governments Local Places for Nature (LPfN) scheme through The Powys Nature Partnership.
Local Wildlife Sites are areas of land with ‘substantive nature conservation value’. As changes in land use have eroded the natural habitats that once covered Powys, LWS are now ‘islands’ in a ‘sea’ of intensively managed urban and rural landscapes. Alongside our statutory protected sites (SACs etc.), they support a wealth of wildlife, both common and rare.
Over the course of the project 41 potential Local Wildlife Sites (pLWS) were visited with 12 confirmed and habitat management advice was provided where needed.
Surveys took place in a diverse range of habitats, from riverine woodlands with cascading waterfalls and nesting dippers to ancient yew-filled churchyards and a castle mound rich in biodiversity. Each visit helped to build a clearer picture of the region’s ecological health and identify key conservation priorities.
Green Future Leaders
The Green Future Leaders project, which ran from April to December 2024, was funded by the UK Government through the Shared Prosperity Fund, with support from Powys County Council.
It supported two interns, five trainees, and five summer work placement students through youth-led work parties, events, and workshops.
The project was focused on empowering young people in Radnorshire to take action for nature, and think more sustainably. It provided young people with the tools they need to combat the climate and biodiversity crisis, while improving Radnorshire for nature.
Stand For Nature Wales
Youth forum by Carys Evans
The five Wildlife Trusts in Wales came together in 2021 to tackle climate change with the help of the young people of Wales. Our team worked hard to reach out to young people all across Radnorshire all the way up to July 2024.
Highlights of the Stand For Nature Wales project included:
Youth Summit
In 2022, we went to the Rock UK Summit Centre for our annual three-day Youth Summit event, bringing together young people involved in the project from all across Wales for outdoor adventure and wildlife activities, inspiring speakers, campaigning, creative workshops, and more. The following year, we headed to Llangranog for another exciting Youth Summit—this time with a marine focus!
Nature's Recovery and Climate Change Trainee
Traineeship
In 2022, we recruited our first two trainees, Catrin and Joe! They became an integral part of our team and gained vital skills and experience needed to gain paid employment in the conservation sector. Since then, we we have recruited many other trainees, a succesful legacy from the project.
Youth Action Group
A group of 9–13-year-olds that met in Llandrindod Wells every other week. Activities included community events, toad patrolling, bat detecting, improving wild spaces, filming campaign messages, and working towards achieving the John Muir Discovery Award.
Campaign Group
A Wales-wide campaign group that worked to progress some amazing environmental asks across Wales and in the Senedd. In 2022, the group created Wildlife, Wales, and the World: A Youth Manifesto—a document that was presented at COP15 in Montreal.
Clothes Swap
We organised a series of clothes swap events in Presteigne, Llandrindod Wells, Builth Wells, and Hay-on-Wye with a theme around slow fashion and sustainability. This included a T-shirt printing workshop led by 19-year-old fashion student Esme at one of the events, and a tie-dye workshop led by our trainees at another! We even had local artist Jane Mason on hand to help people repair or upcycle their clothes.
Wild Ideas
We worked with Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust to run a series of incredible workshops, giving young people a chance to channel their creative side.
Green Connections Powys
A collaborative project involving Radnorshire, Montgomeryshire and Brecknock Wildlife Trust offices that ran from April 2021 until March 2023. Working with local community groups, small businesses, landowners and councils to take action to address climate change and biodiversity loss and create a nature recovery network across the county.
We provided advice to improve management of habitats and strengthen ecological networks, both for specific rare or uncommon species, and to implement nature-based solutions. We provided local people with opportunities to learn about wildlife from staff and local experts, and helped them undertake trainings so they can continues survey their local areas, and manage it for nature.
Resources and informational, such as habitat management and wildlife surveying advice, pulled together from the project can be found here,
Rhos Pasture Restoration Project
A project run from March 2021 until March 2023, focused on restoring rhôs pasture and increasing awareness about the habitat across Radnorshire. Rhôs, a Welsh word meaning 'moor' or 'moorland' describes wet, marshy grassland, is widespread but declining in Wales, identified as a priority grassland habitat in Section 7 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016.
Focused in the north west of Radnorshire, we worked with local farmers and landowners to survey and monitor the restoration of rhôs pasture, improving the biodiversity, soil structure and carbon and water storage of the habitat. We worked with CARAD - Community Arts Rhayader And District to use arts and hertitage to explore and better understand rhôs pasture, delivering art workshops, talks and walks to increase the local awareness. Our artist in residence, Sean Harris, finalised the project with his exhibition, film installation titled "Clymau Sy'n Cynnal – The Ties That Bind Us".
'Clymau Sy'n Cynnal – The Ties That Bind Us' by Sean Harris
Cefn Cenarth Woodland for a Biodiverse Future
Silvia Cojocaru, Radnorshire Wildlife Trust
A year long project based at our Cefn Cenarth nature reserve between September 2020 and August 2021. Most of the trees of Cefn Cenarth are very similar in size and age, we continued the restoration of the woodland by planting a greater mix of tree ages to increase the diversity, and resilience to the future impacts of climate change.
We worked with local landowners and residents in the area to form a new volunteer group to help manage Cefn Cenarth. Together, we completed surveys of the species and habitats on the reserve, installed multiple bird boxes and a new benches, and produced Historical Leaflets about the site in Welsh and English.
Closer to Nature
Closer to Nature was a project we ran in 2023, designed to bring nature to those who cannot usually access it. Working with four care homes and one cancer charity, we helped people get nearer to the outdoors, either really or by using Virtual Reality. We helped the care homes grow flowers and vegetables for the residents, took people on walks out in nature, and using bespoke Virtual Reality headsets, we helped those who couldn't get out into nature feel like they were there.