THREE woodland projects in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Cardiff are the latest to benefit from a Welsh Government environmental grant programme.

  • Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water is getting £245,860 for the ‘Llys y Fran’ project in Pembrokeshire.
  • Carmarthenshire County Council has been awarded £219,397 for its Coed Ynys Dawela project near Brynaman.
  • And near Cardiff, St Fagans National Museum of History’s ‘Gwyrdd Ni’ project is receiving £191,786.

The money - £657,043 in total, comes from The Woodland Investment Grant (TWIG) which is run by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
These latest awards brings the overall investment by the TWIG programme since it launched in June 2022 to over £1.7 million.
Minister for Climate Change Julie James said: “We all know the importance of having access to green spaces and nature near to our homes and places of work. These projects will not only be of great importance for biodiversity but for the local communities that will benefit, enabling better access to our existing woodlands so more people can use and enjoy.
“As part of our National Forest programme these projects will help to restore and maintain some of Wales’s irreplaceable ancient woodlands, which in time will form a connected network running throughout Wales, bringing social, economic and environmental benefits.”
The TWIG programme provides grants of £40,000-£250,000 to create, restore and enhance woodlands in Wales.
It is part of the Welsh Government’s National Forest for Wales programme and this is the second round of five funding awards to be made over two years.
Welcoming the announcements, Andrew White, Director of the National Lottery Heritage Fund in Wales said: “Funding natural heritage projects which help tackle the effects of climate change and support nature’s recovery is a key priority for the National Lottery Heritage Fund in Wales. The Woodland Investment Grant in partnership with the Welsh Government is just one of the ways that we are meeting this objective.
“From the creation of new woodlands and the restoration of others, these grants will also contribute to the National Forest for Wales programme, enhance capacity to adapt to the climate crisis and bring direct health benefits to the people and communities involved.”
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water is getting £245,860 for the ‘Llys y Fran’ project in Pembrokeshire. The project will focus on delivering multi-purpose woodlands to create access to them for recreation, tourism, community engagement, education and learning opportunities, as well as enhancing the woodland and creating a wildlife corridor around the reservoir. 
Dŵr Cymru will bring the woodlands up to National Forest of Wales standards and promote tourism, health and wellbeing. Culverts and bridges will be installed to open up a 6.5 mile route to a wider range of visitors including those who require mobility equipment or pushchairs.
Carmarthenshire County Council has been awarded £219,397 for the Coed Ynys Dawela project at the Ynys Dawela Nature Park near Brynaman. 

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A mix of semi-ancient woodland and secondary woodland, it provides a unique habitat for a diverse range of wildlife including the marsh fritillary butterfly is a valuable community resource used by a wide range of people and the local primary school. 
Work will include coppicing of selected areas to improve the structure of the woodland; installing approximately 400m of boardwalk over wet areas; replacing existing bridges with drainage pipes to reduce the around of maintenance required; improving signage to the site and creating a webpage about it.
St Fagans National Museum of History is getting £191,786 for its ‘Gwyrdd Ni’ ('Verdure/Our lush green vegetation’) project to enhance an existing deciduous woodland on its site outside Cardiff. 
Many of the trees there are over 100-years old, consisting of a mixed broadleaf canopy of oak, elm, sycamore, beech, ash, cherry, and birch. 
The current ground layer is a fallen mix of bramble, nettle, and fern. The vigorous growth of bramble and hung-up windblown trees restrict access. The project will create a dynamic and interpretative woodland which will be managed not just through the seasons, but as it matures and evolves.
For more information about TWIG, visit the funding section of the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s website at heritagefund.org.uk/