Communities seeking to make the most of their woodlands have received a huge boost with Forestry Commission Wales funding for an association set up to support them.
FC Wales has awarded £46,000 to Llais y Goedwig (Voice of the Woodlands), which was set up by existing community woodland groups in 2008 to offer help and support to members and others interested in communities and woodlands across Wales.
The funding will enable Llais y Goedwig to help establish and develop community woodland groups in Wales and engage with both woodland and community development policy-makers and interest groups.
The group will carry out research to assess needs, prepare case studies and disseminate information through a newsletter and other publications.
Since it was launched by Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones at the Senedd in Feb 2008, the association has co-ordinated a number of activities to help communities maximise benefits from their woodlands. The latest venture is a series of roadshow events around Wales this summer to share experience with the development of woodland management plans.
Barbara Anglezarke, FC Wales Woodlands for People Policy and Programme Manager, said, “The work carried out by community woodland groups in Wales – mostly by volunteers – is extraordinary. They are involved in all kinds of initiatives, from health promotion to education to arts activities and social enterprises – the list is endless.
“We are delighted to be able to support Llais y Goedwig as champion for the community woodland movement. Having a single point for queries, guidance and advocacy for local groups will be a huge help.”
Woodlands are an invaluable setting for community activities, can help to improve health and well-being, support community development, provide learning opportunities and potential for job creation and enterprise development.
The group’s directors are all volunteers involved in the management of their own community woodlands all over Wales and know first-hand the wide-ranging benefits that woodlands can offer to communities, and the challenges that groups face.
There are already many experienced community woodland groups in Wales and the funding from FC Wales will help Llais y Goedwig to ensure new groups starting up will have access to all the support they need.
The move is in line with the Welsh Assembly Government’s strategy for woodlands and trees, Woodlands for Wales, which wants more communities to be involved in the decision-making and management of woodlands so that they deliver greater benefits at community level.
Roger Davies, chair of Llais y Goedwig, said, “We’ve put a tremendous amount of work into setting up Llais y Goedwig and are pleased that FC Wales recognises that community woodland groups have so much to offer. The networking, support and guidance that we’re now able to offer will help groups throughout Wales to grow from strength to strength.”
