Remembering the old, welcoming the new

Deputy Minister for Farming and Food, Rebecca Evans today visited Coed Ffos Las, an area of woodland to be planted in Carmarthenshire by the Woodland Trust to commemorate the centenary of the First World War.

Coed Ffos Las is a 49 hectare area of agricultural land reclaimed from opencast mining, near to the village of Carway, and adjacent to Ffos Las racecourse. It includes an area dedicated to the Welsh Government PLANT! project, as well as 10 hectares set aside for meadow creation.

The Woodland Trust aims to plant 90,000 native trees across the site, supporting a thriving and diverse habitat as well as providing a fitting tribute to the people of Wales who played their part in the First World War.

The scheme was made possible thanks to £400,000 raised through public donations and fundraising. Tree planting began there in March this year and involved local schools.
The Deputy Minister said,

“This is a wonderful example of local people coming together for the good of their community. Coed Ffos Las is the perfect place to bring the community together. It will be a place for the community to remember those it has lost for many generations to come.

“Innovative management of our natural resources is always pleasing to see, particularly when the community benefits are so abundantly clear. Planting 90,000 trees and creating meadows of wildflowers can transform part of a landscape in great need of revitalising, as well as create new homes for native wildlife.”

The Glastir Woodlands Creation scheme opened on 15 June and the Welsh Government has been inviting bids for new woodland creation schemes and creation of agroforestry systems from all over Wales. These schemes will be funded under the recently approved Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014-2020.

The Carmarthenshire project is part of the UK-wide First World War Centenary Woodland project, which is now in its second year. The first year focused on acquiring four sites for a Centenary Wood in each country. This milestone was achieved with the addition of Coed Ffos Las in　December 2014.

The site will also provide tree planting opportunities for the PLANT! Scheme. PLANT! is run by Natural Resources Wales on behalf of Welsh Government, with the Woodland Trust partners in delivery, and celebrates the birth or adoption of every child in Wales by planting a tree in Wales and one in Uganda.