One of Wales' premier country estates has been awarded almost £250,000 to support nature recovery and encourage more people to access its special natural environments.
Gregynog, on the outskirts of Tregynon, near Newtown, said the £246,966 investment in its National Nature Reserve and two areas of Special Scientific Interest will make a "huge difference and we can’t wait to get started".
"We are hugely honoured to have been awarded the funding and this grant will be a massive step forward in terms of how we welcome visitors to the Estate," a Gregynog spokesperson said.
Gregynog’s Great Wood, an internationally significant ancient oak woodland, is home to rare lichens and to birds such as pied flycatcher, willow tits and wood warblers.
Gregynog’s ‘Welcome Home to Nature’ project is one of just 17 in Wales set to benefit from £3.78 million in Welsh Government conservation funding.
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The Nature Networks Fund is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in Wales on behalf of the Welsh Government and in partnership with Natural Resources Wales.
The money will be used to install a new children’s playground, covered picnic benches, and a bike rack for visitors and staff by the Courtyard entrance, as well as repairing the drives down to Bwlch y Ffridd, improve the drainage and fill all the potholes.
A new accessible path and 360-degree bird hide on the island accessed by a new bridge will be created around the restored lily pond which will be cleared of invasive plants over two years in four periods of work to allow for wildlife.
All walks on the estate will have new signage, improved pathways and mapping.
Gregynog staff will also work with the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust to run public events for the next two years, and to monitor wildlife on the estate, as well as installing 50 bird boxes.
Gregynog’s Chair Carole-Anne Davies said: “We are very proud of our team and their work on the ‘Welcome Home to Nature’ programme.
“The project allows us to enhance and broaden visitor access and experience, as well as protect and nurture our richly biodiverse reserve as a haven for nature.
“It also helps consolidate our partnerships, opening up further potential for collaboration and helping us to reveal and share Gregynog’s magic with more people than ever – exploring the joy that comes with integrating nature, science and creativity.”
Ruth Jenkins, Head of Natural Resource Management Policy at Natural Resources Wales, added: “We are delighted to see these projects, each driving forward the practical action needed to address what is one of the most urgent challenges of our times.
“These projects will seek to recover species and habitats through collaboration among a wide range of landowners and organisations.
“They are all superb and diverse examples of the exciting restoration and community engagement that is a critically needed step to bring about the recovery of nature in Wales.”
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