Youth eco activism
THE WORLD’S LARGEST YOUTH- LED CONSERVATION SCHEME HAS BEGUN ON A 2,000-ACRE UPLAND ESTATE IN THE BRECON BEACONS NATIONAL PARK
Young people aged 12-17 are taking part in a project across 2,000 acres of the Brecon Beacons to help tackle the decline in British wildlife. The organisers, environmental charity Action for Conservation, say the Penpont project is the largest youth-led nature restoration scheme of its kind in the world, in terms of the geographical area covered.
Twenty young people from diverse backgrounds will work with tenant farmers, landowners and local people to enhance habitats in an attempt to protect the local flora and fauna. It is hoped the programme will create a global “gold standard” for youth-led environmental action. The team began
by carrying out ecological surveys across the site in July, and the next phase of work begins this month (September). Under the young people’s management, the project seeks to restore habitats and ecosystems and explore approaches to farming and forestry via tasks that might include tree-planting, studying grazing patterns and species reintroduction. Low input, high impact solutions that rely on natural processes will be prioritised.
Willow, 16, from Cardiff, is among the inaugural members of the youth leadership group. “The natural world is in real trouble, in Wales and beyond, and we need to work together to find creative ways to turn this situation around,” she says.
“By working with the farmers, landowners and conservationists I hope that we can demonstrate why it’s a good idea to have young people involved in positive environmental change.”
Gareth Davies, a tenant farmer whose family have farmed the estate for three generations, added: “This is an inspiring project and will show how nature restoration can go hand in hand with sustainable farming practices, to make sure we maintain healthy soils, clean water and vital wildlife species long into the future.”