Green Connections Powys

Wooded landscape with hill in the background

Wooded hill Local Wildlife Site © MWT/Tammy Stretton

Green Connections Powys

Green Connections Powys is a collaborative Wildlife Trusts project across Powys working with community groups, small businesses, landowners and local councils to take action to address climate change and biodiversity loss and create a nature recovery network across the county.

Together we will be surveying and mapping wildlife, advising on habitat management and nature-based solutions, helping people encourage more wildlife into their communities and offering opportunities for upskilling and volunteering.

We began the project in April 2021 and it will run until March 2023, involving Radnorshire, Montgomeryshire and the Brecknock office of the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales.  This project has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.

This project has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government

Please contact staff in your local area for more information:

Radnorshire Wildlife Trust (lead partner)    Darylle Hardy darylle@rwtwales.org

Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust    Tammy Stretton tammy@montwt.co.uk 

Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales    Pauline Hill p.hill@welshwildlife.org      (Brecknock Office)

Find Out More!

Powys County Council, Town Councils & Community Councils

We are Supporting Powys County Council (PCC), Town Councils and Community Councils to take action for climate change and the ecological emergency.

Building on previous work, Green Connections will support Powys County Council and local councils in better management of road verges and green spaces to benefit wildlife and add to the ecological network. 

The project will also support PCC in planning green infrastructure and embedding Local Wildlife Sites (LWS) and Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs) into the planning system by identifying, designating and mapping the best places for wildlife in Powys.

Landowners and smallholders

We are providing advice and encouraging landowners to improve the management of habitats and strengthen ecological networks.

Many landowners are keen to improve their land for wildlife but are unsure where to start.  Advice on habitat management and species monitoring will be available for landowners and communities to help them undertake work to benefit wildlife. 

We also aim to connect landowners with volunteers to survey and monitor wildlife on their land. This information will contribute to a Wales-wide understanding of biodiversity distribution and enable our team to provide management advice, look for nature-based solutions to issues, develop ecological connectivity and help people seek funding streams to enable work to take place.

Rare and uncommon species

We will be undertaking specific habitat management work for rare or uncommon species on target sites in the wider countryside.

The project will undertake specific habitat management work on a few targeted sites where it can make a significant difference to the site’s value for wildlife. This may be through scrub clearance, hay meadow enhancement or the reintroduction or reinforcement of uncommon species into certain habitats which will be well looked after and have a good chance of spreading naturally.

Communities and community groups

We are helping community groups improve their natural environment and take action for climate change and the ecological crisis.

An important part of the project will be supporting community groups to safely and effectively take action though the management of community green spaces, buildings and gardens. We will help groups of all ages develop ideas and undertake work that will benefit wildlife as well as people’s health and well-being.  We will be offering advice and training as well as habitat identification and recording.

We will also be looking into ways to develop community enterprises growing native species and trees, either to improve their green spaces and gardens or sell to raise funds for more work.

Volunteering, wildlife surveying and training

We will be providing opportunities for people to learn about wildlife and take part in training and volunteering activities.

Staff and local experts will lead training about wildlife for volunteers, communities and landowners. In addition, there will be opportunities for an intermediate level of training through external organisations or trainers, not always available to volunteers.  Examples might be habitat mapping and monitoring change for landowners, first aid courses for volunteers and tree safety training for community woodland owners.

If there is training that your community group requires or would enjoy, please get in touch!

Rural businesses

Supporting rural businesses in making changes in their land management to implement nature-based solutions and support biodiversity.

We wish to encourage rural tourism businesses and industrial estates to improve the management of their green spaces around buildings and car parks to benefit wildlife.  Advice on nature-based solutions, for example rain gardens and pollinator friendly planting, can be provided.

The project will be establishing a 'Managed for Wildlife' badge for businesses, landowners and communities who are managing their green space to benefit the environment and wildlife.

Green Connections Project - Developing SWIFTly

Swifts are hirundines, closely related to Swallows, Housemartins and Sandmartins. They are a medium-sized aerial bird, which is a superb flier. They are birds of crags and holes and will often use buildings in the UK in which to nest.  Sadly, the numbers of these birds found globally has declined 50% over the last 25 years.
As part of the Green Connections Powys project, we would like to highlight the plight of the Swift, and map their nest sites to be able to pinpoint areas that Swifts are currently still residing. 

For more information on this endeavor, please see our dedicated page:

Developing SWIFTly

Put your activity to support wildlife on the map!

Help us to create a Nature Recovery Map for Powys!

All across Powys, individuals, organisations and community groups are taking action for wildlife, creating the Green Connections that will help nature flourish. If you are already taking action, or wish to be inspired by the actions of those in your local area, then look no further than here!  

Browse the map or add your actions

Get Involved!

There are plenty of ways to support the project:

Am wybod mwy?

 

Cysylltwch Tammy Stretton, Swyddog Cadwraeth

ebost: tammy@montwt.co.uk