Celebrate Pembrokeshire hedgerows at free community day

JOIN a free community day in North Pembrokeshire on Saturday, October 24 to discover more about local hedgerows.

An exploration of Pembrokeshire’s natural and cultural heritage - from creative family craft sessions, to food foraging, and biodiversity talks - this event is run by community organisation Cwm Arian as part of the Coedwigoedd Bro Preseli project.

At Canolfan Llwynihirion Brynberian, Crymych, local expert Chris Roscoe will give a presentation covering the traditional field skill of hedge laying: including its history, purpose, and importance within the Pembrokeshire/ Welsh landscape and culture.

There will be a chance to find out more about the basic principles and techniques involved in managing and laying hedgerows and the wider environmental benefits of well-managed hedges, including their role in supporting biodiversity, providing wildlife habitats, and protecting soils.

Creative collaborators and authors of 'Celf yn y Coed', Seren Stacey and Kelly Cracknell, will be running craft sessions all day. They'll give families a chance to make little 'hedge' books with prints, rubbings, and drawings using inks from hedgerow trees; berries, acorns, and alder cones.

Seren will teach the Welsh names for some of the county’s native plants, so families can add them to their hedge books and they'll get the chance to see if they can spot any in the Canolfan garden.

After a delicious locally sourced lunch of cawl, ecologist and storyteller Max Henderson and foraging guide Dan Moar, from Hydref collective, will lead a 'Mythic forager' walk around Ty Canol woods. It's a chance to find out more about local forageable foods and the ones to leave alone, as well as stories and mythology from the local area.

There'll be talks from Neil Harnott on how communities and councils can work together to improve our road verges for biodiversity. While the Brynberian biodiversity group will speak about their work improving the management of local hedgerows.

Bookings are being taken for the foraging walk and hedge laying talk but you can also just turn up on the day, meet the team, and discover more about the wonderful world of hedgerows!

For more information, contact Cwm Arian, a community benefit society working across North Pembrokeshire, West Carmarthenshire and South Ceredigion to empower local communities through sustainable development, renewable energy projects, woodland management, and community wellbeing initiatives. Email [email protected] or call 01239 831602.