Sustainability in the uplands Finding the balance

1. Sustainability in the uplands Finding the balance Keith Jones - West Snowdonia and Llŷn Countryside Manager

2. Think integrated, think planning! • 7000Ha integrated land management project • 10,000m2 of dry stone walling • Sheep down from 3100 to 1200 – introduction of 60 cattle to Snowdon • 193 separate projects • 400ha of invasive species managed • 50km of footpaths • 8km of Riverine work • £2 million of building work to ensure sustainability • GDP raised 6% locally • £4.75 million

3. Hafod y Llan Hafod y Llan - part of the project 4116 acres estate inc 2 scheduled ancient monuments, listed buildings, SSSi’s, SAC& NNR. 7 houses, 2 outdoor education centres, 4 bunk houses and chalets. 2 farm houses 4000 ewes and ewe lambs –down to 700 5 lakes, 400 acres of Atlantic oak woods, upland ash woods, juniper heath, wet & dry heath. 60 pedigree welsh black Farm Manager, 2 shepherds, monitoring officer

4. Hafod Garegog Gelli Iago IAGO Hafod Garegog Where next?

5. Facts and features • Gelli Iago • 1500 acre mountain farm (Cnicht) • 600 ewes • Bog, wet & dry heaths, woodland, acid grassland • 40 summer grazing cattle • Scheduled ancient monument site • S16 agreement • No low land • Low management input • Hafod Garegog • National Nature reserve • 400 acres at sea level • Under grazed in areas • Bats, dragon flies, oak, butterflies… • Cultural significance • Large wind damage in 2002 • Jewel in the crown • Ospreys

6. Context • Agriculture on the cusp of major change • De-coupling showing its effects on grazing • Cattle prices at their lowest • Already seeing loss of grazing on commons • Time of unprecedented change, no stability or certainty • Undergrazing/ overgrazing threatening many species • Where to go? intensive or extensive. • What will future habitats look like? • Culture and language effects • Climate change

7. Original objective for the farm “To practice and demonstrate environmentally responsible land-use by integrating the needs of: • landscape conservation • habitat management • recreation • protection of historic interest • agricultural husbandry”

8. Current management Gelli Iago • Part of the Hafod y Llan system • Partial habitat recovery • Woodland, wet and dry heath, acid grassland • No cattle on the mountain • Sheep tress pass • No woodland recovery • off wintering in Llyn & Denbigh • No designation • Limited access • Invasive species (Organic land) Hafod Garegog • National Nature Reserve • Mosaic of bog, wet & dry heaths & oak woodlands • No grazing in the woodlands. Little or no grazing on heaths and bogs • Woodland structure returning • Invasive species (from Gelli Iago) • Active management on the bogs • Feature driven management • Limited access

9. National Trust context “The objective should be to promote agriculture which is sustainable economically, environmentally and socially in all areas.” NTFarming for the Future, 2001 Showing leadership in the regeneration of the countryside National Trust strategic plan, core priority

10. What do we want here? “To investigate & demonstrate the economic viability of an upland farm where the main driver for management is the environment” Questions. How ‘high’ do we set the bar! What do we want the farm to look like? What mechanisms would be best suited to deliver? How do we ensure it is ‘credible’? What does Hafod Garegog want?

11. Leave it to its own business Options To meet our objectives No Management More extensive Stewardship Mountain Cattle and boundary sheep Carry on as we are Or any combination of the above

12. How do the options measure up?