Cymraeg
One of the world’s rarest organisms is losing its home.
Veteran trees that provide a habitat for a lichen found on only around 200 trees world-wide are now being felled to make improvements to the A470 in order to cut three minutes from journey times.
Several Countryside and Nature Conservation bodies have come together to express their dismay at the works recently commenced to build a completely new stretch of the A470 between Cwmbach and Newbridge on Wye, Powys in one of the least populated and traditionally rural parts of Wales. It is estimated the new road will reduce A470 journey times by around 3 minutes.
The Planning Inspector and the Transport and Infrastructure Directorate has, following a Public Inquiry, demonstrated a disregard for the Welsh Assembly Government’s own planning policy, Planning Policy Wales, in its design and a complete indifference towards the significance of the landscape and in particular the ecological considerations of the site. As a result, a completely new road is being cut through a particularly important landscape strongly characterised by irreplaceable ancient pasture woodland.
The Woodland Trust, the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW) and Plantlife are determined that important lessons must be learned from this case by the Welsh Assembly Government. Route corridors for new road developments should not be decided until a comprehensive ecological survey has been carried out. Relying on a past survey has resulted in this instance in the destruction of a habitat protected by Section 42 the NERC Act 2006.
Peter Ogden Director of CPRW comments: “The Planning Inspector and the Deputy First Minister seem to have, at the very least, displayed a cavalier attitude towards the Welsh Assembly Government’s own policies. In casting aside the environmental concerns raised by many at the public inquiry last summer, the Inspector’s report states that “this scheme by its very nature is bound to run contrary to some of the generally stated environmental policies of the Welsh Assembly... To apply all the environmental policies absolutely would raise the prospect that few significant road schemes in rural Wales would ever again be built.”(1) (2) We are aware of no other Inspector in Wales adopting such a blatant disregard for the Assembly Government’s own Planning policies in quite the way that he and thereafter the Transport Directorate has done in granting consent for this scheme. We question what qualities must the environment have before it is deemed more important than new high speed intrusive roads?”
Says Ray Woods of Plantlife “Trees currently being felled provide a habitat for the ‘lemon tart’ lichen ( Lecanora sublivescens) a species so rare on a world scale that the Welsh Assembly Government have listed as one of the species it wants to specially protect..Only recently have we realised that this group of lichens have given rise to most of the fungi from which we obtain antibiotics. It is not just a scientific curiosity. Is WAG really committed to sustainability?”
Naturalist Iolo Williams, says “I am very disappointed to learn that the Assembly Government has decided to push on with works to the A470 between Builth Wells and Newbridge on Wye. The area is notable for its hedgerows and broadleaved woodlands and several of them will be lost as a part of this work. This will cost £35million to the taxpayer, all to save a few seconds on the journey through mid Wales. The new road is complete foolishness and environmental vandalism, which demonstrates exactly how much importance the Assembly gives to protecting the environment and public transport policy.”
Anna Heslop, Coed Cadw’s Campaigns Officer for Wales comments: “Lessons must be learned from the tragic loss of this precious landscape and the very special ecological features within it. We would encourage the Welsh Assembly Government to consider its approach in this case and ensure that similar mistakes are not made in future. We would also encourage landowners to give early access to their land for ecological surveys, which could better inform the environmental case in future. Keeping the conservationists out will not stop a development. Finding irreplaceable features important for our future well-being might.”
For media enquiries contact:
Anna Heslop, Campaigns Officer for Wales, on 08452 935 735 or 07824 416 518
Rory Francis (Publicity and Public Affairs Officer for Wales) on 08452 935 738 or 07760 171174 Afallon, Tanygrisiau, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd LL41 3RH Email roryfrancis@woodland-trust.org.uk
Peter Ogden: Director CPRW, Ty Gwyn 31 High Street Welshpool 01938 552525
Or the Woodland Trust Press Office email media@woodland-trust.org.uk or Tel 01476 581121
Or Rory Francis (Publicity and Public Affairs Officer for Wales) on 08452 935 738 or 07760 171174 Afallon, Tanygrisiau, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd LL41 3RH Email roryfrancis@woodland-trust.org.uk
Notes for editors
1. A copy of the Inspector’s Report can be found here.
2. The Environmental Statement produced on behalf of the Highways Directorate does not give a figure for the area of ancient woodland to be lost, meaning that it is inadequate in analysing the scheme’s environmental impact. It says that direct loss of woodland, that is all woodland, will be 3.01 ha, or 7.4 acres. The grid references of these two woods are SO 017 575 and SO 021 558 respectively.
Coed Cadw (The Woodland Trust)
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters. The Trust has three key aims: i) To work with others to plant more native trees; ii) To protect native woods, trees and their wildlife for the future; iii) To inspire everyone to enjoy and value native woods and trees.
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). These include over 100 sites in Wales, with a total area of 1,580 hectares (3,900 acres). It offers free public access to nearly all of its sites. Further news can be accessed via www.coed-cadw.org.uk The Trust adopted its Welsh language name in 2000: “Coed Cadw”. This is an old Welsh term, used in medieval laws to describe protected or preserved woodland.
CPRW: The Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW) is one of Wales’ foremost environmental charities which aims to secure the protection and improvement of the rural landscape, environment and the well being of those living in the rural areas of Wales
English
Wedi diflannu am byth, ar gyfer tair munud
Mae un o’r organebau mwyaf brin y byd yn colli ei gartref, mae coed hen law sef yng nghynefin i gen sydd yn byw ar o gwmpas 200 o goed yn y byd yn cael ei thorri i lawr rŵan, er mwyn wella'r A470 i dorri tair munud oddi wrth amserau taith.
Mae nifer of cyrff cefn gwlad a chadwraeth natur wedi dod at ei gilydd i dangos eu siom gyda’r gwaith sydd wedi dechrau i adeiladu rhan newydd o’r A470 rhwng Cwmbach a Pontnewydd ar Wy, Powys, yn un o’r ardaloedd lleiaf poblog a gwledig traddodiadol Cymru. Amcangyfrif y bydd y ffordd newydd yn byrhau amseroedd taith yr A470 gan ryw 3 munud.
Mae’r Arolygwr Cynllunio a’r Cyfarwyddith Seilwaith Trafnidiaeth wedi, yn dilyn Ymchwiliad Cyhoeddus, dangos anwybyddid i bolisi Llywodraeth y Cynulliad ei hun, Bolisi Cynllunio Cymru, yn ei gynlluniad, a difrawder llwyr i bwysigrwydd y dirwedd ac yn enwedig ystyriaethau ecolegol y safle. Fel canlyniad, mae ffordd hollol newydd yn cael ei thorri trwy dirwedd hynod o bwysig sydd yn nodweddiadol am goetir porfa hynafol unigryw.
Mae Coed Cadw, Ymgyrch Diogelu Cymru Wledig (YDCW) a Plantlife Cymru yn benderfynol bod gwersi pwysig yn cael eu dysgu o’r achos yma, gan Lywodraeth y Cynulliad. Ni ddylu llwybrau cynlluniau ffyrdd newydd gael ei dewis, nes bod arolwg ecolegol cyfan wedi cael ei chwblhau. Mae derbynni ar arolwg o’r gorffennol wedi dilyn at ddinistrio cynefin sydd wedi achub o day Rhan 42 o’r NERC Act 2006.
Dywedodd Peter Ogden Cyfarwyddwr YDCW: “Mae’n ymddangos bod yr Arolygwr Cynllunio a’r Dirprwy Prif Weinidog wedi, o leiaf, dangos agwedd cafalîr tuag at bolisïau Llywodraeth y Cynulliad. Wrth anwybyddu’r pryderai amgylcheddol codwyd gan lawer o’r bobl yn yr Ymchwiliad Cyhoeddus dros yr haf diwethaf, mae adroddiad yr Arolygwr yn dweud “mae’r cynllun hon, yn naturiol yn debygol o redeg yn erbyn rhai o’r polisïau cyffredinol y Cynulliad......I this scheme by its very nature is bound to run contrary to some of the generally stated environmental policies of the Welsh Assembly... Fysa dilyn pob polisi amgylcheddol yn hollol yn codi’r perygl o sefyllfa lle fysa ychydig o gynlluniau ffyrdd mawr yng nghefn gwlad Cymru yn cael ei adeiladu byth eto.”(1) Nid ydym yn gwybod am unrhyw Arolygwyr eraill yng Nghymru yn cymryd y fath o anwybyddi ddigywilydd o polisiau cynllunio Llywodraeth y cynulliad, yn y ffordd mae’r o, ac wedyn y Cyfarwyddith Seilwaith Trafnidiaeth wedi gwneud wrth roi caniatâd ar gyfer y cynllun yma. Mae rhaid i ni ofyn cwestiynau am ba briodweddau sydd ar angen ar yr amgylchedd cyn iddo gael ei chymryd yn bwysicaf na ffyrdd newydd, cyflym a mewnwthiol?”
Dywedodd Ray Woods of Plantlife Cymru: “Mae coed yn cael ei thorri lawr ar hyn o bryd sydd yn gynefin ar gyfer cen ‘lemon tart’ ( Lecanora sublivescens) rhywogaeth sydd mor brin ar safle’r byd, bod Llywodraeth y Cynulliad wedi ei chofrestru fel un o’r rhywogaethau mae isio achub. Yn ddiweddar, rydym wedi sylweddoli bod y grŵp yma o gen yn ffynhonnell rhan fwyaf o’r ffungai sydd yn ffynhonnell antibiotigau. Mae hyn yn fwy nag odrwydd gwyddonol. Ydy LCC wir yn ymrwymedig i gynaladwyedd?”
Dywedodd Iolo Williams: “Dwi wedi cael fy siomi'n fawr i ddeall bod y Cynulliad wedi penderfynu pwyso ymlaen gyda'r gwaith i sythu'r A470 rhwng Llanfair-ym-Muallt a Phontnewydd ar Wysg. Mae'r ardal yma'n nodweddiadol am ei perthi a'i choedwigoedd collddail a bydd llawer ohonyn nhw'n diflannu fel rhan o'r gwaith. Bydd yn costio o leiaf £35 miliwn i'r trethdalwyr, hyn i gyd fel bod ychydig eiliadau yn cael eu hachub ar daith drwy ganolbarth Cymru. Ffolineb llwyr a fandaliaeth amgylcheddol ydi'r ffordd newydd, sy'n dangos yn union faint o bwyslais mae'r Cynulliad yn ei rhoi ar achub yr amgylchedd a pholisïau trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus.”
Dywedodd Anna Heslop, Swyddog Ymgyrchoedd Coed Cadw: “Mae rhaid dysgu gwersi o’r coll trasig y dirwedd werthfawr hon, a’r agweddau ecolegol ofnadwy o bwysig ynddi. Rydym yn annog Llywodraeth y Cynulliad i feddwl am ei ymdriniaeth o’r mater yma ac i sicrhau bod camgymeriadau tebyg ddim yn ailddigwydd yn y dyfodol. Rydym hefyd yn annog tirfeddianwyr i roi mynediad cynnar at ei thir ar gyfer ymchwiliadau ecolegol, fedraf helpu creu'r achos amgylcheddol yn y dyfodol. Ni fydd cadw’r cadwraethwyr allan un atal datblygiad. Gallaf ddod o hyd i nodweddion sydd yn methu eu hail creu ac sydd yn bwysig ar gyfer ein hiechyd yn y dyfodol.”