A series of dry stone walling and countryside skills workshops are helping protect the traditional landscape of Anglesey.
The first workshop, held recently by the Isle of Anglesey County Council’s Countryside and AONB Team, was a hailed a great success by all attending.
The two-day day dry stone walling workshop, in partnership with K J Stone Walling, and others are being funded by Natural Resources Wales (NRW).
The workshops are aimed at promoting traditional, less environmentally damaging land management and heritage skills, as well as highlighting and enhancing Anglesey’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
AONB Community Warden, Joseff Davies, explained, “Our dry stone walling workshop was the first in a series of countryside skills and heritage workshops that we plan to run over the coming months.”
“People often do not notice these dry stone walls, but they are an important feature in the traditional landscape of the island. They are also important in terms of bio-diversity, nature, birdlife and wildlife.”
Feedback from those taking part highlighted how much they had enjoyed an opportunity to socialise safely with others, with many feeling that they had missed out on social interaction due the Covid-19 pandemic.
Councillor Carwyn Jones’ Economic Development portfolio includes countryside and AONB matters. He added, “The workshops will give people a fresh opportunity to get involved in traditional crafts and activities on Anglesey. They will include skills such as hedge laying, charcoal making, rush weaving, coppicing and many more.”
“There are far fewer people able to turn their hand to traditional countryside skills like these, so the workshops will, hopefully, provide an opportunity to develop more craftspeople. They will also allow people to enjoy the wonderful Anglesey countryside and help protect the special qualities of Anglesey’s AONB.”
All of the traditional countryside workshops will conform to current Covid-19 guidelines with a Covid-19 risk assessment created for each event.
For more information about upcoming events, please visit our website.
Ends 3 November 2021