In my last blog I shared the good news about the grant we managed to secure through Gwynedd Local Nature Partnership and I’m happy to report that we now have the big red machines – a 520cc quad bike and a brush harvester, and we also managed to find funding for a flail to improve our paths. I’ve also repaired an old bracken bruiser. Now, we just need somewhere to store it all! Luckily, we’ve sourced a building from a charity that sadly had to close its doors and are in the process of securing planning permission with Gwynedd Council. The building will house machinery, allow us to process wildflower seeds, and provide shelter for volunteers.

The great escape

Livestock can often be seen on farms happily grazing. Not at Bryn Ifan! Our livestock made a great escape, with one sheep wandering over a mile from the farm! This sparked lots of fencing repairs and improvements to our biosecurity. Volunteers have been hard at work clearing lines and knocking in posts. Whilst some of the existing fencing is getting a bit tired, we’re holding off on major replacements until tree planting begins, which will require extensive new fencing anyway.

Tree planting progress

Tree planting you hear me say? It’s the main talk at Bryn Ifan! We still don’t have a date but we’re working very hard to get the common consent permissions we need and to make sure we find the right place for our trees. We have however reached an agreement with Gwynedd Archaeology Trust and Heneb on how to protect the medieval farmstead remains and other archeological assets on the hillside which took time  to assure our work will not have any negative impact. We’ve also addressed ecological and hydrological concerns and now await final approval from the Welsh Government. Originally, all 40 hectares of trees were to go on Yr Allt, the hillside of Bwlch Mawr, but due to constraints nearly half will now will be planted on Bryn Ifan Isaf.

Farming with trees

Tree planting in farmland can be divisive, but I’m feeling optimistic! I’ve been taking part in Henbant’s “Becoming a Regenerative Farmer” course with around 60 other people from near and far. I am quite confident in my farming knowledge but there’s been plenty to learn - it’s been an interesting and surprising experience! Trees play a big role in regenerative systems — boosting soil health, providing shelter, fodder, and adding diversity to the landscape. I’m excited to see how these practices reshape Bryn Ifan.

Wildflowers & nursery plans

With help from the Apricot Centre we’re asking the question: what do we want to see happen first? Our goal is bringing nature back, supporting the local economy, producing local produce, improving soil quality and more! Our initial idea is to convert a field into a wildflower meadow. Once established, we could harvest seed to use ourselves and neighboring sites and also to sell, with a hay cut as a bonus crop expected in late August. Another idea is a local tree nursery — initially to restock our trees, and eventually to serve the wider area with locally sourced saplings.

Wetland work at Cors Y Wlad

Cors Y Wlad, our SSSI wetland for the Marsh Fritillary Butterfly, has seen major improvements thanks to peatland funding. We removed invasive sitka spruce and used a capstan winch to haul timber for new bridges. When our funding ran out and rope on the winch wore through, volunteer Vinny ingeniously suggested the use of his four-wheeled cart powered by our very hard-working volunteers to move the heavy sleepers across the wetland.

Surveying and seeds

Surveys across the site continue, including reptile refugia, bird and insect monitoring, and soon, the marsh fritillary web counts. We’ve seen good butterfly numbers, but autumn rain can still cause setbacks if they wash the webs away. I’m setting up a volunteer group to support survey efforts this autumn (2025)— get in touch if you'd like to join. 

Contact: Dafydd.Thomas@northwaleswildlifetrust.org.uk

The new quad and seed harvester were trialled this summer at Llangybi, my own meadow in Rhoslan, and Caeau Tan Y Bwlch. After drying and sieving, we now have boxes of wildflower seed ready to sow at Bryn Ifan this autumn. Our next tasks are fencing fencing out the field, prepping the soil, and sowing as soon as the frosts begin. Exciting times ahead!

Until next time – hwyl am y tro.