Public views wanted on woodland proposals

PUBLIC views are wanted on the future of an area of woodland in Neath.

Coed Cadw Woodland Trust had planned to run a series of events to give local people the chance to have their say on how the charity moves forward with its new wood, Brynau Wood, next to Gnoll Country Park.

Face-to-face events have had to be cancelled due to Covid-19, but the charity is pushing ahead with a consultation online.

Llinos Humphreys, communications and engagement manager for the trust in Wales, says: “If the lockdown has had any upside, then maybe it’s helped us all appreciate nature on our own doorsteps a bit more.

“Those of us who have beautiful, natural places within easy reach are incredibly lucky. We hope that the new Brynau Wood we’re creating will be a huge asset.

“But if we’re to make the most of the opportunity, we need to know what people want and hear their suggestions.”

Anyone can take part in the consultation online, in English or Welsh, at www. woodlandtrust.org.uk/ brynau.

The questionnaire asks people what features are most important to them in a wood, such as wildlife, easy-to-follow waymarked routes or tranquillity, peace and quiet.

It gives examples of features that could be provided, such as natural sculptures, wildlife observation points or natural play features and asks which people would value most.

It asks what sort of organised events people would most like to see at the site, suggesting nature walks, storytelling and heritage and history walks.

Finally, the questionnaire asks if people have any memories of, or information on the history of Brynau Wood and if there is anything else people feel the Woodland Trust should know to help shape the interpretation and development of the site.

Thanks to funders, some 150,000 native trees will be planted over the next five years to create a new, large woodland.

The site, currently called Brynau after the small area of ancient wood that already exists there, will link the surrounding landscape with new hedges and small patches of existing woodland.