I ddarllen y blog yma yn y Gymraeg cliciwch yma os gwelwch yn dda
Dramatic peaks, ancient valleys, tumbling rivers and wide open moors... our experience of rural Wales is characterised by wild landscapes and the iconic wildlife that calls it home. The sight of sheep and cattle dotted along the hillsides is also a familiar sight, with over ¾ of Wales being farmed. Seeing the countryside filled with both wonderful wildlife and farm-life is an integral part of our understanding of rural Wales, but sadly, this picture doesn’t tell us the full story.
Eleanor Bentall, rspb-images.com
Much of our wildlife is under threat, with 1 in 14 species in Wales on the path to extinction, and one of the key drivers identified for this decline is intensified farming practices driven by farming policies. Now that we are on course to leave the European Union, an opportunity has risen for Wales to not only write a new farming policy, but also for its people to help shape it. This new political landscape has inspired organisations, communities and individuals from all walks of life to come together to find their common causes and solutions to common problems. By uniting, they have a more rounded understanding of the subject and a stronger voice to recommend to Welsh Government what a new farming policy should look like.
RSPB Cymru is involved in a similar collaborative project. Together with Bangor University, Adnodd and Cynidr Consulting, and with the support of Welsh Government, we will host a conference on The future of upland farming: Beyond CAP, to be held at the Glasdir Centre in Llanrwst on 15 March. The event is an opportunity to engage farmers in the debate about the challenges and opportunities that will come as a result of Brexit, and give them a chance to voice their opinion on future land management policy. This exciting conference is just one of many happening all over the UK to find new ways of working together to make farming better for people, farmers and nature.
Speakers include Kevin Austin, Head of Agriculture Policy and Strategy for Welsh Government, Arfon Williams, RSPB Cymru Land Use Policy Manager, Guto Davies, representative from Fferm Ifan (an independent group of upland farmers in the Ysbyty Ifan area), and Professor Peter Midmore, lecturer in Agricultural Economics at Aberystwyth University.
To find out more about this free event or confirm your attendance, head over to the eventbrite page. But hurry up! There are limited places and it is a first come first served basis.
Finding the balance: food, farming and nature
The big challenge we face globally is learning how to sustainably produce food in a way that protects and enhances the natural environment. In Wales, an important part of the conversation about how to do this includes how farmers will be supported to protect the environment, alongside providing quality food. If we succeed in finding this balance between food, farming and nature, then we not only improve food security, but the security of our natural resources, the livelihoods of our rural communities and the security of knowing future generations will enjoy a Wales that’s bursting with life. A Wales that’s rich in nature, that provides the resources humans need whilst replenishing the ones wildlife needs, is the vision for the future. And by working together, we can achieve it.
If you want to support wildlife-friendly farming, you can make a difference by taking part in our e-action to Welsh Assembly. To see what else we’ve been up to take a look at our twitter page (@RSPBCymru) or look at our other recent blogs.