Gwent Police work with partner agencies to protect Forgotten Landscapes of Torfaen, Monmouthshire and Blaenau Gwent

Crimes including fly-tipping, the illegal use of off road vehicles, vehicle and scrap metal thefts were targeted during a one day operation in Gwent.

On Sunday 24th June, Gwent Police joined forces with local councils in Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Monmouthshire and Rhondda Cynon Taff as well as the Forestry Commission and Brecon Beacons National Park Authority and the Treadlightly Trust to enforce laws that protect the Blaenavon World Heritage Site and its surroundings.

The operation covered a large area of countryside from Brynmawr down to Abertillery and Cwmtillery over into Monmouthshire around Clydach and right down to the Blaenavon and Pontypool areas of Torfaen.

PC Rob Maddocks who organised the operation, is seconded as Landscapes Crime Officer to specifically tackle problems in the project area following concerns raised by local residents and walkers about the illegal use of off road vehicles, fly tipping and grass fires.

He explained, 'My role is to raise awareness of landscape crime as well as tackling offenders. Many members of the public don't fully understand the law in relation to off road vehicles.  The operation on Sunday was to educate members of public about the law and give them a chance to change their actions. Anyone found driving illegally in these areas in the future will be dealt with.'

On Sunday the operation had the following results;

• 6 Section 59 warnings - this means that if anyone is found riding or driving illegally again in the next 12 months, their vehicle will be seized
• 42 verbal warnings and educational leaflets given out
• 24 new fly tipping sites were identified and referred for clean up operations

PC Maddocks added, 'We will continue to carry out operations such as this on a regular basis to bring offenders to justice and improve the local area for residents and visitors to this beautiful part of the world.'

Duncan Green, Chairman of The Treadlightly Trust says, 'Multi agency working is key to reducing illegal off - road vehicles and helping people understand how and where they can use their vehicles responsibly.'

The Treadlightly Trust is a charity that sets out to protect motorised recreational access opportunities through education, partnership working and conservation initiatives. For more information on the work of the charity, visit http://www.treadlightly-uk.org/

Volunteer Rangers 'Dig' Archaeology

A successful archaeological training/work day was held on 18^th June at the Hills Pit Chimney site.  Most of you will remember that one of the first projects in the FLP scheme was to make improvements to the chimney and to part of the retaining wall around the adjacent cottages.  Dr Amelia Pannett from Archaeology Wales talked us through the monitoring form to be used to keep a watchful eye on archaeological sites and oversaw us as we uncovered the rubble from the cottages.

Through the day we made contact with archaeologist Natalie Ward and Community Development Officer Hugh Price from the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority. 

Amongst volunteers it was nice to be joined by some new faces – Elaine and David Savage (Wye Valley AONB volunteers) as well as Joyce Compton (a retired archaeologist) and Dorothy Astbury (organiser of Caerleon Young Archaeologists) who have been attending an FLP lifelong learning class.  Keith, Michael, Jeff and Marilyn also did a sterling job!

The fine weather made a big difference while everybody got stuck into the task.  It was a real team effort to make headway on defining the walls of the cottages and collecting the original stones together.  It is hoped that these stones will be used to rebuild the retaining wall behind the cottages.  However there are a few more days of clearance to make it more worthwhile – so more chances for others to get involved! To get involved contact Volunteer Co-ordinator Sarah at sarah.lewis@torfaen.gov.uk

Pupils Give Canal Workshops Top Marks

Pupils from nine primary schools in Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen have been enjoying a range of outdoor educational activities centred on the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal.

Woodland walks, narrow boat trips and a variety of science-based experiments were rounded off with a picnic lunch on the canal bank at Goytre Wharf.

The special workshops, which ran for three days, were organised jointly by the Forgotten Landscapes Partnership and the Fourteen Locks Canal Centre as part of an on-going programme of events marking the canal’s 200^th anniversary.

The Canal and River Trust (formerly British Waterways)) laid on a bridge-building exercise and a study of water-loving invertebrates while Keep Wales Tidy challenged pupils to consider the impact of litter on the environment.

Monmouthshire County Council’s countryside team and the Forestry Commission focused on wildlife habitats as part of an hour-long woodland walk and volunteers from Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal Trust provided information about the canal, past and present, on boat trips in the ‘Edith-Elizabeth’.

“It’s a very special experience to move silently and slowly along a canal on the same eye-level as the ducks! “ said one Trust member.

Forgotten Landscapes Education and Interpretation Officer Ceri Cadwallader said: ‘We’ve had great feedback from both the children and their teachers. It’s great to see so many children enjoying the waterway during its anniversary year.’

There were divided opinions, of course, on the best activity of the day. Seven-year-old Carys from Llanfair Kilgeddin insisted it was ‘building a home for a hedgehog,’ while schoolmate Max thought it was definitely the boat trip – his first.

“It’s been a wonderful opportunity for all of them,” said teacher Mrs Sara Scriven. “They’ve learnt about everything from animal habitats and safety issues to how boats float!”

The activity days were possible thanks to all of the organisations who gave up their time to get involved, and also thanks to support from the Heritage Lottery Fund.