Volunteer Award for Denbighshire Art Group

An art group has been given a special award for its work to enhance the environment.

The Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Awards recognised Llanferres art group, the Country Park Painters with its Volunteer Award.

The award was presented to the group by the Chair of the AONB’s Joint Committee, Councillor Tony Thomas at Loggerheads Country Park.

The group has assisted the AONB over a number of years having exhibited their work in Loggerheads Country Park since 2005, with a percentage of painting sales being donated to charities including Cancer Research, Diabetes Research, Llanferres Church, Help for Heroes, African Water Aid, Support Dogs and Hope House Hospice.

The group painted the trig point at the summit of Moel Famau, straying from the traditional plain white colour of most trig points, transforming it into a work of art, depicting the natural world, with each member of the group producing a silhouette of an animal, bird or insect.

Over the years the group has also held fundraising activities in Loggerheads Country Park’s meeting room, having various stalls selling arts and craft work, plants, books and other items raising more than £4,000 for charity.

Pat Armstrong, a member of the Country Park Painters, said: “The group was delighted to receive this award. We consider it to be a privilege to be involved with such a calming and inspirational place which is right on our doorstep.”

Councillor Tony Thomas, the Council’s Lead Member for Housing and Communities and chair of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB Joint Committee, said: “I’d like to congratulate the Country Park Painters on this award and thank them for all their work over the years supporting the AONB as well as a number of charities.

“Moel Famau and the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB are a great resource for residents and visitors alike providing fantastic outdoor spaces to enjoy and the Country Park Painters’ art work helps enhance the experience.

“I would encourage walkers at Moel Famau take a look at the trig point while visiting the summit.”

The award was presented to the group by the Chair of the AONB’s Joint Committee, Councillor Tony Thomas at Loggerheads Country Park.

Electric all-terrain vehicle

In October 2021 the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) team had the opportunity to demo an electric all-terrain vehicle to help ascertain whether the vehicle would be suitable for conducting some of the tasks the ranger team need to conduct around the AONB. Currently any task that requires access to remote parts of the AONB, moving equipment or conducting litter picks needs a diesel powered 4x4 pickup to support the rangers in their role, but with our aspirations for reducing carbon emissions and achieving Net Zero we’re eager to explore viable alternatives.

Utility task vehicles (UTV’s), also commonly referred to as ‘side by sides’ are small all-terrain vehicles capable of carrying two crew and a small load of tools, equipment or resources. Typically, these vehicles are powered by diesel or petrol engines, but as with road going vehicles the move toward ultra-low emissions and electric vehicles is quickly picking up pace.

The benefits of an electric UTV (e-UTV) over a petrol or diesel include lower noise, no air pollution from the vehicle when in use, less disturbance to wildlife and outdoor users and the ability for the vehicle to be powered from 100% renewable energy greatly reducing the CO² emissions associated with the vehicles use. The down side to an electric vehicle is the speed of re charging and the inability to extend the vehicles range by simply carrying a jerry can of fuel to top up the tank, as well as the issues around battery manufacture and recycling.

In order to better assess whether an e-UTV was a suitable addition to the ranger fleet we asked Clwyd Agri to bring a vehicle to Loggerheads Country Park for us to see what the real world range and capabilities were. We took the demo vehicle on two typical working trips that our rangers currently have to use a diesel 4x4 to complete; a litter picking trip up to the Jubilee Tower on Moel Famau, and a trip to the conservation grazing animals to check on their welfare and enclosure through the woodland on the eastern flanks of Moel Famau.

The vehicle Clwyd Agri brought out to us to demo was a Polaris Ranger Ev, on load from its owners Brighter Green Engineering. The vehicle is fitted with the standard lead-acid batteries, although a lithium ion battery upgrade is available to reduce weight, extend the range and improve re charging performance.

Our rangers were incredibly impressed with the vehicles capability and range, with it easily completing a trip to the summit of Moel Famau and back to the top carpark on just 10% of the battery range, while the optional four-wheel drive mode proved that the vehicle was more than capable of making the rough and arduous journey to the summit even with two crew and a load of tools.

We are now in the process of identifying suitable vehicles for procurement with the hope that the addition of an e-UTV to our ranger team vehicle fleet will mean that our diesel vehicles will be relied upon less for the short journeys where they perform worst in terms of particulate emissions, and will ultimately reduce our reliance on CO² heavy fossil fuel vehicles.

Working with Wool

Sustainability is the heart of the landscape solutions grazing project, by working in partnership with the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’s Sustainable Development Fund a ‘Working with Wool’ project was established to raise awareness and links between wool producers and crafters by following the cycle of a sheep’s fleece, from shearing through to making a variety of different crafts.

The project was split into two main aspects which was the shearing and the craft making, the first session was an introduction to shearing held by an experienced female shearer, where five ladies attended. Everyone managed to shear a couple of sheep with one or two managing to shear a couple more.

 

The following sessions were held by Gwlangollen a local company who works to promote and preserve wool-based heritage skills. During the first session the group all had a raw fleece and learnt how to skirt it, test it’s staple and how to wash it. The fleece was then left to dry naturally until the next session where it was put through the picker and carded, the group had a go at hand carding as well as trying the drum carder.

 

Many members of the group were wool producers and during these sessions the group were taught what needs doing to the fleeces in preparation for crafters to purchase. We hope the Working with Wool project has opened new opportunities for them to sell their produce. Once the wool is washed and carded it can then be sold to crafters.

Once the fleece was carded it is then ready to be used to make crafts, the first craft session was an introduction to spinning, where all group members had a go on the spinning wheel, spinning the carded wool from the previous session to create yarns, these yarns were then used in the next session which was an introduction to weaving. Two further sessions have been arranged for the group in the new year where they will experience different types of felting

  

Most group members followed the process the whole way through from the shearing to the craft making, we hope this project has influenced and raised awareness of the possibilities for sheep fleeces for these producers in the future.

 

Stories of the star success

The Clwydian Range and Dee Valley have hosted a fabulous afternoon and evening of storytelling as part of our Dark Skies programme.

One of the many stories told by Fiona was of the constellation we know as Gemini.

Welsh mythology views the constellation of Gemini not as twins but as two brothers, Gwyn and Gwyrthyr, battling over the love of the most beautiful Creiddylad - who is often depicted wearing red. Unlike more modern times where passionate ladies in red have been seen by some as those of dubious repute, red in the Celtic world was worn by the bride on her wedding day as a sign of her virginity and virtue. Gwyrthyr was madly in love and engaged to marry the lovely Creiddylad. However out of the shadows came Gwyn, Gwyrthyr’s jealous and mean-hearted brother. Creiddylad was stolen away by the spiteful Gwyn leaving Gwyrthyr heartbroken. Gwyrthyr did not give up on his love lightly and he summoned an army to go and get her back. There was the most almighty and bloody battle. Gwyn defeated his rival, was reunited with his love and took a hoard of Gwyrthyr's chieftains prisoner as revenge. Up in the heavens it is said that every Calan Mai ( May Day) the two bitter brothers still fight for the hand of the Lady in Red until the final battle on Judgement Day in which the victor will keep her forever. Their rivalry has been taken to represent the contest between summer and winter - the dark and the light. Themes of love, loss and the fight between good and evil are still strong in stories and tales of modern time.

Public events are one of the many ways the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB highlight the importance of the Dark Night Sky and the efforts that are being taken to protect them. In early 2022 the AONB team will be submitting an application to the International Dark Skies Association for formal recognition of the qualities of the night sky. To learn more about the Dark Skies of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley visit https://www.clwydianrangeanddeevalleyaonb.org.uk/projects/dark-skies/

Landscape and nature recovery in a changing climate

Climate change is happening and it’s affecting every one of us to a lesser or greater degree. Whether that’s through wild fires causing air pollutions, flooding from extreme weather events or diseases affecting the plants we surround ourselves with for our living or our recreation spaces. In the AONB we have a mosaic of landscapes, habitats and species, many of which are regarded as the special qualities that give our landscape the designation it has as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. These landscapes are therefore not only important to us as beautiful and enjoyable spaces to live and work in, but they are an essential aspect of the livelihoods of most of us living in Northeast Wales.

Whether your employment is directly connected to farming or tourism, or seemingly has nothing to do with these sectors, much of the economy of Northeast Wales is reliant upon the countryside. Whether that be through the production, distribution and sale of foods, or whether that be through supporting the large numbers of tourists who visit the area every year, our AONB contributes to many of our livelihoods.

So given that we know climate change is happening, and that we value the landscapes of the AONB for our enjoyment of them, their biodiversity and natural value and for their economic value to the region, how to we manage these landscapes better given the likely impacts of climate change?

In our new report, Landscape and Nature Recovery in a Changing Climate, we ask exactly that. Due for publication in December 2021 the report looks at six distinct landscape types across the AONB and identifies the greatest risks posed to them by climate change, and what we can do to mitigate or manage those risks. From wildfires and flooding to diseases and droughts, we look at the risks posed and the steps we can take now to thrive in a changing climate. Whether you’re a land manager, counsellor, farmer or local community member the document lays out the greatest risks posed to each landscape type and a range of mitigations available to us.

For more information or to request a copy of the report on publication please contact our Climate Change Officer directly >>> tom.johnstone@denbighshire.gov.uk

Volunteer

Ask yourself: Do you enjoy spending time outdoors? Would you like to connect more with nature or become more active? Are you looking for a way to meet new people and learn new skills?

As a volunteer with the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) you will find all of this and more.

As the name suggests, here in the Dee Valley we work in an area with stunning scenery and care for a wonderful variety of habitats and wildlife. We need your help in keeping our haven as it should be for the survival of our native species and the enjoyment of our communities.

As Rangers in the Dee Valley, we are out in the landscape come rain or shine to manage habitats, carry out wildlife surveys, help with visitor management, maintain our footpaths and much, much more. Whether you would be interested in doing some practical habitat management, learning traditional skills such as dry stone walling and hedge-laying, gardening, completing various arts and crafts and wildlife surveys, or joining us for a guided walk- there is something to suit everyone.

So why not come along on any Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday for a rewarding day in the great outdoors. We provide full training and all the necessary tools. All you will need is sturdy footwear, suitable clothing for the weather, a packed lunch and enthusiasm! Our event timetables can be found on the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB’s website. For any more information on our events contact us for a chat on 07384248361 or message the Bryniau Clwyd a Dyffryn Dyfrdwy Facebook page.