Location:
Merthyr Tydfil
Funding amount:
EAFRD (WG RC_RDP Wales) contribution
£417000.00
The Taf Bargoed Catchment Project

The Taf Bargoed Catchment  was a  community project delivered by the South East Wales Rivers Trust. Gareth Edge was employed as the Project Officer  and his role was to help the local community re connect with  Bargod Taf river.  The  project focussed on three main areas: 

  1. Education – Re-engaging the local primary schools of Trelewis and Bedlinog with the catchment through a series of educational workshops focussing on the river its history, wildlife and habitats. 
  2. Community Engagement – Meaningfully engaging the local community through a series of activities and events such as  river clean-ups, and litter picks. Residents can also sign up for accredited training in river restoration. Ultimately the project hopes to encourage the community to become active custodians of their own local river catchment.
  3. The Environment – improving wetland and river environments through surveying, monitoring, tackling invasive species and maintaining biosecurity.

Lessons learnt

  • Establishing effective Social media networks are vital for this kind of project.
  • Due to the weather far more can be achieved in the spring/summer months than in the autumn/winter.
  • Record all participation at events not just eligible rural wards as tourism from outside catchment is key to wider project impacts.
  • Essential to have back-up ideas and activities when working on river catchment project as work can be affected by future funding applications.
Ref Performance Indicator Target Achieved Comments
LD-CL.001 Number of feasibility studies 1 1 Actioned by NRW 
LD-CD.002 Number of networks established 5 10

Social media networks have

been essential to project success
LD-CL.003 Number of jobs safeguarded through supported projects      
LD-CL.004 Number of pilot activities undertaken/supported 1 3

Investigating ways to use

mobile technology to

engage people with nature.
LD-CL.005 Number of community hubs 3 7 6 eligible 1 outside of rural wards
LD-CL.006 Number of information actions/promotional and/or marketing activities to raise awareness of the LDS and/ or its projects. 6 35

Events held on the river

catchment and in community

spaces in eligible rural wards.
LD-CL.007 Number of stakeholders engaged 12 24

All key stakeholders outlined

in bid engaged
LD-CL.008 Number of participants supported 20 600+

Volunteers, event visitors

and 3 primary schools

every pupil supported.

 

The Taf Bargoed Catchment Project is part 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.

Further project information:

Name:
Alyn Owen
Email project contact
Tags: Community, Environment