The Journey to Restoration The woodland’s transformation began amid adversity. Early in 2020, severe flooding exposed long-buried soil erosion and highlighted decades of neglect. Tangled shopping trolleys and accumulated waste on the riverbanks threatened water quality and undermined bank stability. In response, we conducted in-depth risk assessments, adapted our approach, and deployed targeted research. Within months, areas once choked by debris showed new signs of life. This was more than a clean-up; it was a strategic revival, informed by data and guided by close monitoring. From Exploration to Action Those first weeks were spent walking the Nant-Yr-Aber, observing its altered flow, and discovering hidden problems beneath the surface. Floodwater had carved new channels, buried paths, and destabilised the banks. Instead of turning away, we documented every hazard, captured footage, and slowly pieced together a plan one that listened to the land and let its condition dictate the work

Taking A Trip Through The Nant-Yr-Aber Ladies and Gentlemen, As we begin Part 5, we return once again to the Pont-Y-Pandy woodlands this time to Nant-Yr-Aber, a secluded stretch of waterway below the Pont-Y-Pandy woodlands. What started as a simple river walk quickly turned into one of the most eye-opening moments of the rewilding journey revealing new risks, new questions, and a new direction for Lunacare Cymru’s research. I was joined that day by a fellow photography enthusiast, and while we were out to document nature, I was also using the opportunity to practice videomaking. This was part of my learning process developing the skills to capture not just visuals, but stories. What we found, though, turned practice into purpose. The river appeared clear at first a sign that the earlier cleansing had made some difference. But as we moved further along, things changed. Needles, antisocial damage, unstable embankments, and signs of escalating flood risk began to show. At the same time, f

The Rewilding Plan - Take Two Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome back to another chapter in the ongoing story of the Pont-Y-Pandy Rewilding. Before we go any further, I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported this journey so far and especially to those who helped shape our very first steps in the rewilding venture. At this point in time, very little was known about our small and emerging organisation. What began as a passion project was starting to root itself within the woodlands landscape. As the initial planning phase drew to a close, a new and essential chapter was about to begin our first field trial under the banner of Research & Rewilding. But before the plan could be set in motion, one major challenge stood in the way: removing the waste that still littered the site. Only by clearing the area could we enter a proper phase of ecological observation. This wasn’t just about aesthetics it was about understanding the hidden hazards, monitoring the land's natura

Planning For Rewilding - Shopping Carts Ladies and Gentlemen, We’re now at Part 3 of the rewilding series for Pont-Y-Pandy Woodlands, and this chapter was a turning point not just for the land, but for my understanding of how deep the challenge really goes.After the floodwaters of early 2020 tore through the area, they didn’t just damage what was visible they unearthed what had long been ignored. The land told its story through the waste it revealed. Plastics, packaging, old advertising leaflets, tangled drinks cans and perhaps most jarring of all, shopping trolleys, lodged into the riverbanks like rusted bones in a wound.What followed was not part of the original rewilding plan. But it became absolutely essential. Once the flood receded and I walked the woodlands again, it became clear that the damage went beyond natural erosion. Rubbish was embedded deep within the soil and wrapped around branches like ivy. One patch near the old tree line was littered with half-buried packaging, pla

The Plan Needs To Change - Excessive Flooding Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome back. In this second part of the rewilding series for Pont-Y-Pandy Woodlands, we continue our journey through what was meant to be a carefully phased restoration effort. However, shortly after January 2020, a significant and unexpected event would transform the landscape entirely: a major flooding episode. Although the area is known to flood occasionally due to its location on a natural floodplain, this event was not typical. The scale and intensity of the flooding fundamentally altered the local ecology and in just a matter of days, our initial rewilding plan was rendered unworkable. As the riverbanks began to erode and rapid flooding surged across the landscape, the danger became very real. The risk to life during observation was serious, and although safety had to be the top priority, it was also essential to witness the damage firsthand. These early observations were critical to understanding the new challe

Re-Wilding Preperations Begin! Ladies and Gentlemen, This marks the long-awaited full coverage of the Pont-Y-Pandy Woodlands Rewilding a chapter many may have heard whispers of, but few witnessed in full. Now, for the first time, the entire story will be told from beginning to end, and through the lens of greater experience and ecological understanding. In this first part, we revisit the initial preparations a stage that ultimately redefined our approach. While there had been a meticulously planned outline for the project, a dramatic and unforeseen shift in the woodland’s ecological dynamics forced us to rethink everything. The Original Plan In the beginning, our goal was straightforward: to use the surrounding wildscape to help repopulate Pont-Y-Pandy’s declining woodland ecosystem. This was no simple task. The woodlands were already showing significant signs of depletion, and wild growth was minimal. Our plan focused on identifying critically declining areas, mapping them in detail,