Ambitious Carneddau project wins support of Heritage Lottery Fund

A £1.92m grant to the Carneddau Landscape Partnership has been given initial approval by the Heritage Lottery Fund through its Landscape Partnership programme.

The project will coordinate work to protect, enhance and celebrate some of the  rich but fragile natural and cultural heritage of the Carneddau mountains. The 7 year project will be led by Snowdonia National Park Authority in close partnership with other organisations. Close collaboration with land owners, farmers, residents, local businesses, recreational users and other organisations will be central to the project.

From Dwygyfylchi and Penmaenmawr in the north, the Conwy Valley to the east, Capel Curig to the south, and Bethesda and the Ogwen Valley to the west, the project will engage with local communities and societies together with organisations which have an interest in the history, agriculture, language, wildlife, economy, and archaeology and leisure opportunities in the area.

The Snowdonia Society has helped develop the project and looks forward to contributing in various ways including through its conservation volunteering programme.  The Society’s Director John Harold said:

‘We are delighted at this news.  The Carneddau are much more than a vast area of uplands.  These mountains and their surroundings have many stories to tell, stories of the past and stories for today. Through this partnership project better understanding, better management, and better protection for the Carneddau will develop together.’

Despite extensive protection the Carneddau’s heritage is at risk. Important archaeology is under threat due to scrub invasion, the special ecology of the ffridd, heath, and summit habitats is in danger due to changing patterns of land use, Welsh place names are being lost, Bronze Age cairns have been damaged, stock and visitor impact has severely affected rare and important habitats, the population of the twite has declined, action is required to prevent the loss of more carbon from peatland and the future of the unique Carneddau ponies needs to be safeguarded. Through effective collaboration with partners this project will address these and other issues, to help safeguard this landscape for future generations.

Jonathan Cawley, the National Park Authority’s Director of Planning and Land Management welcomed the news. He said,

“We are ecstatic with the news of HLF’s generous support and excited about working on this important project which will benefit local communities and the natural and cultural heritage of the mountains. This project is not about one single organisation; it represents a genuine partnership who are all passionate about collectively improving our understanding and management of this very special landscape. We are also excited at the prospect of working with such a wide range of people through events, interpretation and education initiatives, whilst increasing opportunities for people to volunteer and appreciate this beautiful place.”

Richard Bellamy, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Wales, added,

“Heritage Lottery Fund money works hard to ensure all of our important heritage is looked after – but it’s not all about grand old buildings, castles and museums. There is natural heritage all around us, especially here in Wales, which is vital to our economy, our livelihoods and our wellbeing.

“This fantastic project is the latest to benefit from money raised by National Lottery players, which will both reconnect people with often overlooked heritage on their doorstep as well as protect that environment for years to come.”

A development grant has been awarded by HLF to enable a partnership led by Snowdonia National Park Authority to develop its plans and seek final approval for the full grant amount of £1.9million at a later date.

The Partnership is made up of 11 key partner organisations which make up the ‘Partnership Board’ and there are also additional stakeholders who have had an input into the project. The Partnership Board comprise the following: Abergwyngregyn Regeneration Company, CADW, Conwy County Borough Council, Gwynedd Council, Menter Iaith Conwy, The National Trust, Natural Resource Wales, Penmaenmawr Historical Society, Snowdonia Active, Snowdonia Society and Snowdonia National Park Authority.

Image courtesy of http://v-g.me.uk/

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