Abergavenny Food Festival

FLP had a stall on the Saturday at this year’s event and, armed with our brand new display panels, we attracted a lot of interest with well over a hundred people wanting to know more about what we are doing.  There was considerable interest in the 10 new trails and the forthcoming walking festival ‘Walk the World Heritage Site’.  Over 20 festival goers signed up to receive the e – newsletter and we ran out of volunteer leaflets because of people’s desire to help.  We were so busy we didn’t even get a chance to walk around and taste some of the exciting food and drink on offer….!  Although Lulu(Steve's dog) got a wonderful bone from Edwards the Butchers….!

New signs welcomed by local farmers

New signs have been displayed along Abergavenny Road between Govilon and Blaenavon and in the Blorenge Mountain car parks, to try to prevent speeding, dog attacks, distress to animals and also the feeding of animals which can result in vehicle accidents and injury to animals.

These issues have caused a problem for the commoners who keep their animals on the land. The scenic area attracts dog walkers however the commoners are asking dog owners to keep their dogs under control especially during lambing season. Dog attacks are a serious problem but are relatively rare.　 Most owners are unaware that even by their dog chasing a sheep or getting too close to it whilst it is pregnant can cause the sheep to abort the lamb.

Another issue is members of the public leaving piles of food scraps and vegetable peeling for animals on the side of the road. Food left can attract animals to the busy road leading to animals being knocked over and car accidents.

Alan Stinchcombe who keeps his sheep on the land explained, ‘If a sheep and their lambs get separated after being chased by dogs, it’s difficult for them to find each other which can lead to the lambs not surviving. We lose a sheep or lamb every week either because they’re hit by cars or attacked or scared by dogs.’

Speeding vehicles is a problem along the road. PC Rob Maddocks who works for the Forgotten Landscapes Project covers the area. He explained, ‘The road has a 60mph speed limit but has lots of sharp bends and steep drops. Sheep often walk on the road, attracted by food and we’re urging drivers to use caution and drive carefully.’

All commoners who keep their animals on the land have to be part of the Commoners Association with strict regulations on what animals they can keep and how they can act whilst on the land.

Alan Stinchcombe added, ‘We’re not asking people not to use the area, but this is our living and we’re asking if people can be considerate to our animals.’

Archaeological Treasure Repaired

The unearthing and conservation of the Pwll Du tunnel south portal was one of our most ambitious projects.  It received huge levels of community support and one of our new trails ‘Human Endeavours’ links it with a number of important archaeological sites including the Engine Brake Wheel and Hill’s Pit.  Imagine our shock and disappointment when we discovered this July that the portal had partially collapsed.  A number of experts have since visited the site to try to establish the cause but no definitive conclusion as to the cause of the collapse has been reached.  Possibilities include frost damage, a collision with a large machine or vandalism.

We are delighted to be able to announce that the contractor who conducted the original work, Alun Griffiths, agreed to reinstate the structure and it has now been returned to its full glory.

On the 28^th September Steve, the Scheme Manager, will be leading a volunteer work party.  They will undertake a bit of landscaping work intended to make the repaired feature ‘sit’ more comfortably in the landscape.  This will include back filling the top of the portal wall and covering it with turf.

If you would like to help please contact Sarah the FLP volunteer coordinator.

Learn something new...

Get out and about and discover the remarkable heritage and environment of Blaenavon World Heritage Site by joining one of our FREE lifelong learning courses.

Learn to make sense of clues from the past with ‘Exploring Archaeology’. Get more out of walks in the countryside with ‘Reading Rural landscapes’. And finally consider the best ways to interpret the past with ‘Heritage Storytelling’. All three courses allow participants to get stuck in, with fieldwork, guided walks and visits to a range of local heritage sites, alongside the classroom sessions.

Courses start during the week commencing 25^th September 2012 and typically run for 12 weeks. Frther details are available on our website or contact Blaenavon World Heritage Centre on 01495 742333 or Blaenavon.tic@torfaen.gov.uk for more details or to book yuour place.

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.

FLP's stock is rising

Over the summer we have been entertaining a number of high profile visitors.  In late May a party of more than 50 volunteer rangers travelled from 2 National Parks in Belgium and France to see what we have been up to over the last 2 years.  They were taken on an archaeology walk to see the conservation work we have been doing and they splashed about at the Garn Lakes reedbed creation site helping to plant more reeds.  They were impressed and have invited us to visit them next year so that we can exchange even more ideas.  One of their initiatives is to train volunteer wardens as guided walk leaders.  These leaders are trained up to become very knowledgeable about specific trails and they take parties of up to 25 walkers out for half a day.  The charge per party is 60 Euros.  This covers the volunteer warden’s costs and provides much needed income to help care for and promote the heritage landscape.  If you are interested please drop our volunteer coordinator a line: sarah.lewis@torfaen.gov.uk or call her on 01495 742335.



European National Park Volunteer Wardens enjoying the mud as they plant reeds



We have also been selected for inclusion in a Heritage Lottery Fund film which will promote the Landscape Partnership Programme as part of the launch of its new strategy.   This is a real honour as only 9 landscape partnerships from across the UK have been selected for inclusion.

HLF has also recently appointed a new chair for its Welsh Panel.  Dr Manon Williams visited in June, met the team and some of our volunteers and was shown the wide range of activities FLP is engaged in.

Finally, Sarah Lewis entertained a party of Polish visitors who are hoping to establish volunteer schemes along the lines FLP is developing in collaboration with The Conservation Volunteers (Formerly BTCV).

 Then, of course, there’s Garn Lakes Country Fair, the National Eisteddfod, Abergavenny Good Festival……….

Goytre Wharf Eco-Day

Due to poor weather conditions the Goytre Wharf Eco-day has been cancelled. We hope to re-arrange the activities later on this summer. Please contact the Forgotten Landscapes Team for further information –

ceri.cadwallader@torfaen.gov.uk or 01495 742944.

Volunteer Rangers update and NEW opportunity to help!

FLP is now looking for ‘Landscape Ambassadors’ - friendly volunteers to welcome visitors at various locations over the summer and get some feedback on their experience.  All you need is one or two days to spare over the summer and to be enthusiastic about the stunning Blaenavon World Heritage Site (BWHS) landscape with it’s important wildlife and heritage features.  A workshop for anyone interested will be held on Friday 22^nd June 10am -12.30pm at the Blaenavon World Heritage Centre and will include lunch.  Please book by calling 01495 742335.

The BWHS Volunteer Rangers group continues to grow steadily and four teams now support FLP’s work.  The practical conservation team have worked tirelessly to help install signage for 10 heritage trails over the winter and assisted with controlled burning for heather moorland management.  The dry stone walling team now has qualified volunteers carrying out regular wall repairs and new recruits are preparing for an assessment later this year.  An active team is now monitoring wildlife regularly and others are running activities for the Junior Rangers Club, such as fossil hunts and bird box making.  To date the gift of time from the BWHS Volunteer Rangers totals a staggering 3365 hours! 

For information about all volunteering opportunities go to www.visitblaenavon.co.uk, call 01495 742333 or email: sarah.lewis@torfaen.gov.uk.

New Heritage Trails for Autumn 2012

Over the last 12 months Forgotten Landscapes, working with Torfaen Council and the Brecon Beacons National Park, has upgraded 64 km of footpath to create 10 new heritage trails.  Each is named to reflect an aspect of the area’s globally important heritage.  ‘Forging History’ tells the story of the long lost forge at Garn Ddyrys which used to employ over 300 people; ‘Spoil to Spectacular’ explains why industrial spoil is important as a historic landscape feature and how nature is slowly recolonizing these previously bare and hostile features; ‘Heather and Heritage’ explains how the common land was traditionally managed and what is needed to bring it back into good condition for farming and wildlife such as the red grouse: Human Endeavours looks at the industrial archaeology and includes treasures such as Pwll Du tunnel, the Engine Brake Wheel and Hill’s Pit chimney to name a few.

Each trail has been designed to be as family friendly as possible and takes no more than 1.5 hours to complete – unless you stop for a picnic or a drink at a wayside pub…!

Later this year we will be holding an event to promote these new trails.  If you, or your group, would like to help us test them beforehand please contact the Forgotten Landscapes Volunteer Coordinator on 01495 742333 or email sarah.lewis@torfaen.gov.uk

Heritage Summer School - One day to go!

Our heritage summer school starts tomorrow with a guided walk of the town led by local Green Badge guide Eifion Davies. The walk starts from Blaenavon World Heritage Centre at 10am. Following join Frank Olding and John Van Laun to dicover industrial archaeology in the uplands - departing from Blaenavon Ironworks at 12.30pm.

There will be a range of events taking place all week. For the full programme see our website  http://www.visitblaenavon.co.uk/en/ForgottenLandscapes/Learning/Heritage-Summer-School.aspx

Heritage Summer School

Tuesday 22nd May - Friday 25th May 2012

Join us for a week of walks, talks and workshops at Blaenavon World Heritage Centre.

• Discover life in the Iron Age with Prof Ray Howells
• Join archaeologist Frank Olding and historian and author John Van Laun on a walk through the Industrial Landscape
• Meet staff from the internationally renowned Univeristy of Wales Newport School of Photography
• Learn how to complete a habitat survey with our own Commons Officer, Alvin Nicholas.

The full programme is now available on our website. Places are limited - phone 01495 742333 or email blaenavon.tic@torfaen.gov.uk to book.

Dragon's Teeth

The Forgotten Landscape micro hydro system 'the Dragon's Teeth' in Blaenaon is now up and running.  It is producing 'green' electricity and earning income through the feed in tariff scheme.  We will be leading a walk on 24th May at 7.00pm.  If you would like to come along to learn more about how a similar system may benefit you or your community group / business please book a place by contacting the World Heritage Centre on 01495 74333 or email: blaenavon.tic@torfaen.gov.uk

We are also hoping to raise some additional money to conduct a feasibility study which will identify additional sites.  Collectively these could generate enough income to really help conserve the globally important heritage landscape. 

Discover Your Heritage

Get out and about and discover the remarkable heritage and environment of Blaenavon World Heritage Site with one of our FREE community courses - less than a week to go!
 

• Tuesdays, 6.30-8.30pm: The story of Blaenavon World Heritage Site

• Thursdays 10am -12noon: Exploring Heritage in the Field

• Thursdays 7-9pm: Botanical Heritage

Courses start week commencing 23rd April. Ful details available on our website or by emailing the Forgotten Landscapes Partnership

Lending nature a helping hand

The green slurry contains seeds that will stimulate new growth

Coity Tip, a small nature area next to Big Pit Mining Museum, has in recent years suffered extensive damage as a result of illegal off-road biking. Although the turf has now been fenced off, the damage already inflicted has left it unable to recover.

In an attempt to restore the vegetation, Big Pit Mining Museum in collaboration with the Forgotten Landscapes decided to repair the damage, employing a modern technique called hydroseeding: A semi-liquid mixture consisting of seeds suspended in water and animal dung was spread across the area through a big, high-pressure hose. The slurry protects the seeds from wind, rain erosion and bird attacks while providing a nice, moist environment for the seeds to germinate in. It is a very efficient and cost-effective way of generating growth, more-so than the traditional way of scattering seeds across an area.

FLP scheme manager, Steve Rogers, expressed his optimism about the project: “It is a terrific way to improve the opportunity for the plants to re-establish. Next year we will be able to see how successful the project has been”.

Crucial Crew and the countryside

Looking after the environment is a crucial part of what the Forgotten Landscapes Project is all about. That’s why Ceri Cadwallader and Rob Maddocks from the project have been helping staff from the countryside teams at Torfaen and Monmouthshire councils to teach children about outdoor safety and run workshops on the Countryside Code.
The wider project is called “Crucial Crew” and aims at providing school children with crucial knowledge on fire safety, internet safety, first-aid and drug & alcohol awareness.
The whole thing is organised by Gwent Police and is set to run over a period of 3 weeks.
Almost 2.000 children from every primary school in Torfaen and every secondary school in Monmouthshire are going to take part in the fun and learning.
For those of you who are interested in learning more, visit Countryside Code’s website.

Remembered Landscapes

Digital Storytelling Workshops

The local people of Blaenavon had the chance to leave their mark on the history of the area in a workshop hosted at the World Heritage Centre. The focus and end result of the workshop was a personal story from each individual presented as a short audio recording accompanied by still images. Part of the workshop was also introducing the participants to the basics of computer operating systems, audio recording and photography.

The locals were encouraged to tell a story from their life in Blaenavon with subjects ranging from landscape sites to notable family members and bustling streets. The important thing was the personal narrative and the focus on emotions and memories rather than facts and figures.

Chris Morgan from the University of Glamorgan guided the group through exercises and games to trigger their memory while providing guidance on the technical side of things.

The workshop was part of a wider effort launched by the Welsh Government, called "Communities 2.0". The programme aims to lift people out "digital exclusion" and help them to enjoy the benefits of increased use of digital platforms such as mobile phones, computers and the internet.

The stories will soon be available for everyone to enjoy on our website.

Forgotten Landscapes helping to fight illegal off-road biking

PC Rob Maddocks, the Landscape Crime Officer with the Forgotten Landscapes Project, has started a combined effort with a police officer in Twmbarlwm to fight illegal off-road biking.

The Twmbarlwm mountain, and the remains of its Iron Age hill fort, is a well-visited tourist destination and is widely known throughout the region. Over recent decades this historically important site has suffered extensive damage from illegal off-road biking, which has scarred the area by ploughing up the ground.

Through his work with the Forgotten Landscapes Project at the Blaenavon World Heritage Site, Rob Maddocks has developed new techniques for dealing with off-roading, fly tipping and other landscape crime issues. He is now passing on his knowledge to the local police officer Simon James who has been placed in the Twmbarlwm area specifically to fight the persisting problem.

This is a great example of how knowledge gained through the Forgotten Landscapes Project is being spread to other areas within South East Wales.

Firing up the heather moorland

Volunteers for the Forgotten Landscapes Partnership (FLP) have just finished learning how to manage the heather moorland which is so vitally important to the area’s red grouse population - the southernmost in the UK. The population has been decreasing dramatically over the past 100 years: The most recent survey found that only 67 still inhabit the area.
Over the past decades the area surrounding the Blorenge Mountain, The Blorenge Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), has been subject to far-reaching fires causing great damage to the area’s heather moorland, the most important vegetation for the red grouse population: they nest in the old heather and feed on the new. A healthy composition of the heather is therefore crucial for their survival.
The previous fires have created a heather vegetation that is even-aged in most places and    as a result does not meet the needs of the red grouse. The volunteers are helping to solve this problem: By burning areas of heather under controlled circumstances, they make sure that new heather will grow, creating a mosaic composition of heather in all ages.
A part of the volunteer effort has included work by young air cadets. Before a patch of heather is burnt, a circle - or “fire brake” - is cut around it to make sure the fire does not get out of control. The cut down heather then has to be removed to ensure that the fire brakes keep the flames in check. The cadets have helped with this preliminary process as part of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.
The hope of this heather conservation project is to double the red grouse population and make sure that they will have a nice home for many years to come.

Canal Festival Launch



The Canal's 200th Anniversary had its official start on Friday with the 'Ringing of the Bells' at Pontymoile Basin near Pontypool. Hard-core cyclists from Abergavenny Cycle Group and Forgotten Landscapes at Blaenavon pedaled down to the event from Llanfoist, over frozen mud and narrowly avoiding sliding into the icy waters at times! They made it in the nick of time to hear the Bell being struck! Abergavenny Cycle Group will be running some Family Rides and 'Cycling for Softies' events later in the year - watch this space - come and join them when the weather is better!

Read the BBC Wales report on the event

Volunteer Ranger in successful bid for Cadw post

Andrew Brown, 52, a Volunteer Ranger for the Blaenavon World Heritage Site and Forgotten Landscapes Partnership (FLP) has been offered a year-long contract with Cadw, the historic environment service of the Welsh Government.

A retired police officer of Gwent, he has been doing a history course at the University of Wales, Newport, where he is currently in his second year. Alongside his studies he has been an eager participant in the volunteer programmes of the Forgotten Landscapes Project being involved in a variety of projects from a pond survey and moorland management activities to carrying out historical research.

He took the opportunity to get involved in an archaeology project - one of the Community Lifelong Learning courses available through FLP - which he heard about whilst volunteering. Through the project he picked up useful knowledge and demonstrated his interest in Welsh history – experience that impressed Cadw and helped him earn the job.

Once he finishes the second year of his studies later this year, he will take up the post in Cadw before coming back and finishing his third and final year. The valuable work experience is likely to leave him in a good position for getting a job once he graduates.

The best of luck from the Forgotten Landscapes Partnership, Andrew!

Canal festivities

2012 marks the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal’s 200th birthday. Originally built as a passageway for coal and iron, it now supports a flourishing leisure industry and is a cherished haven for nature and people. Winding its way through 49 miles of breathtaking countryside, the canal passes through Blaenavon World Heritage Site on its way from Brecon to Cwmcarn.

Celebrations will kick off on Friday 10 February with an event at Pontymoile basin. On this day churches along the length of the canal will ring their bells, just like they did when the canal originally opened in 1812.

There are plenty of opportunities for you to take part in the celebrations with a whole host of events taking place throughout the year: from guided walks and cycling to canoeing, concerts and parades.

For further information have a look at British Waterways' leisure website, Waterscape and the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal’s own Facebook page.

We will also keep you posted on forthcoming events on the Forgotten Landscapes' Facebook page and here on the blog, so keep an eye out!

WORLD OF DISCOVERY

New courses available in Blaenavon World Heritage Site

　

If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about the history or landscape of the local area then this is your chance. Join one of the brand new FREE courses on offer in the World Heritage Site. Choose from:

UPLAND CONSERVATION
Tuesday evenings 7-9pm, starts Tues 24th January
Gain a greater understanding of why our uplands are so special, learn more about the wildlife which has made its home here, and discover the challenges of conservation in the upland environment.

COMMUNITY HERITAGE

Wednesday evenings, 7-9pm. Starts Wed 25th January

Learn more about the life in Blaenavon through the ages and discover new ways of capturing and bringing the past to life.


All courses will be held at Blaenavon World Heritage Centre. For more information visit our website or call 01495 742333