More than 300 children enjoyed a trip to the prestigious Welsh Sheep 2023 event in Mid Wales yesterday to see how farmers can work with nature, thanks to an upper Severn catchment farming group.
The visits of local schools to Red House Farm in Aberhafesp – home of Huw, Sioned and Dafydd Owen - were enabled by the “Nature and Us” project run by the Maesmawr Group of farmers. Hugh and Sioned are the Group’s secretaries.
The Group funded the Landscapes children’s village at the National Sheep Association event, which around 3,000 people attended, as well as the workshops offered at their own stand which highlighted the nature and environmental actions carried out by the collaboration between farmers, Natural Resources Wales and other partners.
The children from Newtown, Abermule, Tregynon, Trefeglwys and Llandinam schools toured the farm and were offered nature sessions to see invertebrates collected from the River Severn that day, to check to see if the Severn scored as a healthy river – it did - and hear about their importance in the food chain as well as learning about bats and birds.
One teacher commented: “We welcome the funding to get here and attend the workshops where the children have learnt so much about nature and the importance of these tiny creatures in creating and supporting the food chain. For the majority of pupils, this is the first time they have ever visited a farm and seen where our food comes from.”
Roche Davies, chair of the Maesmawr Group said: “We are happy to have helped the next generation learn about the importance of farming and of protecting the natural world that sustains us all.”
The initial two-year phase of the project has seen a range of activities take place to improve habitats, provide better access by people to the countryside for blue and green benefits – both physical and mental health – as well as promoting a range of sustainable land management techniques.
The Group has upgraded miles of bridleways and footpaths, planted trees and hedges as well as learnt from experts on science and the natural world as part of the “Nature and Us - Working Together” project www.natureandpeople.wales and is a member of the Powys Nature Partnership.
The Maesmawr Group is the lead partner in delivering the project which has received financial support through Sustainable Management Scheme of 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.