Having worked as a Public engagement officer for 6 months in north Wales ‘busy’ is a word I mention regularly when people ask me how it’s going. Another word I hear myself saying is ‘variety’” I visit farmers on their farms, build wreathes out of willow with local kids , learn about the nesting habits of ospreys, and manage woodland!
Its easy to get lost in some of the woodland in the area, but lost is not what I would have liked to have been a few weeks ago however with snow covering much of Denbighshire. I’m considering whether I should invest in some winter tyres before I find myself stuck on a moor with only a cuddly lapwing to keep me company!
So far I’ve managed to keep moving though; travelling up to Llanrwst to speak with the young farmers club there. I’d really enjoyed watching them on S4C at the Young Farmers’ Eisteddfod the weekend before, it was great hearing them discuss how many curlews or lapwings they have on their farms. It’s nice to hear them speaking about it as if it’s nothing special, but it’s my job to make them realise that it is, and that they have a huge part to play in making sure there are still curlews and lapwings around on their farms for their children to see.
All the schools I’ve visited over the past couple of weeks have been so enthusiastic, and all looking forward to the Big Garden Bird Watch in January. I’ve also had a couple of people knocking on my door at home, just as I’m starting to make my evening meal asking whether they could book me in to do a talk at their WI group. It’s all down to my lovely neighbour who’s a great contact to have and has clearly been pointing them in my direction. I’ll be sure to take ‘round a couple of mince pies as a thank you!
I’ve made progress on my plans for getting volunteers out doing some practical woodland management at Llyn Brenig. That forest is a maze! I only slightly got lost whilst taking our Health and Safety Officer out to the site . good navigation skills are a must in these places!
Brenig Osprey Project is really starting to build momentum now. The prospect of having ospreys nesting within the North Wales Moors Futurescape definitely gives me some more material for talks and walks. I was at a meeting with representatives from Welsh Water, North Wales Wildlife Trust, Friends of the Ospreys and North Wales Tourism Partnership last week. I learnt a lot, as did everyone else. I had no idea that ospreys colonised an area so gradually. The expert (from Friends of the Osprey) assured us that we shouldn’t hope to have ospreys nesting at Brenig until 2017, so this is definitely a long term project! We have been a bit puzzled about the two ospreys that were flying around Llyn Brenig for a few hours on Friday. Shouldn’t you be down south by now??
A nice end to November was a trip up to York to meet up with other people who work as Community Engagement Officers in all the other Futurescapes across the whole of the UK. It was so good to chat with others who are in the same boat as me, who often encounter similar obstacles and sharing ideas of ways of getting people enthused about the landscape around them.
The weekend involved creating felt robin Chistmas tree decorations at Betws-y-coed Christmas event. It was a brilliant (if sticky!) couple of days! The organisers had really gone to town with activities, costumes and even covering part of the church grounds in artificial snow. It really was like walking into Narnia! There was a great turn out and everyone couldn’t help but get in the Christmas spirit.
I’m looking forward to getting even more Christmassy with the children at Pentrecelyn school tomorrow by making wreaths out of the willow and dogwood we can find in the playground and wildlife garden and at the weekend I’ll be attending Christmas at the Castle in Ruthin Castle, so it’s glittery antlers at the ready! I’m sure I’ll find time to start Christmas shopping at some point...