22/04/2005 - Last month
a partnership of Carmarthenshire Fishermen's
Federation (CFF), Forestry Commission Wales
and Environment Agency Wales completed a voluntary
tree planting and habitat restoration scheme.
The work was carried out following a habitat
restoration scheme on the River Brân,
a tributary of the Tywi at Llangadog. It's
an important spawning and rearing area for
salmon and sewin (sea trout).
Around a dozen volunteers from the Tywi Bailiff
Group planted native ash and willow trees.
The willow was from local sources. The trees
will bind the soil, stabilise the riverbank
and prevent further bank erosion and damage
to habitats.
Soft bank revetment was also completed using
local willow and conifer cuttings, provided
by Forestry Commission Wales. The willow will
grow to form dense roots, reducing the speed
of the water, stabilising the banks and allowing
useful silt to accumulate. Within a few months
this will also provide additional habitat
for young salmon, sewin and other wildlife.
Phillip Morgan the Agency’s Area Fisheries
Officer said:
'Thanks go to all members of the group who
gave up their time. It was a pleasure seeing
so many enthusiastic volunteers working hard
together on the project. By working in partnership
we were able to achieve real benefits for
the wildlife and the fishery.'
Carmarthenshire Fishermen's Federation (CFF)
volunteer bailiff Gethyn Thomas said:
'It's a pleasure doing this work knowing
its going to benefit the whole river. I also
believe that this joint initiative is the
way forward. Anglers are giving their time
and effort, whilst the Agency is steering
and managing these projects. We are all trying
to improve our rivers and by working closely
together we can achieve this.'
A total of 18.5 km of habitat restoration
has now been completed on the Tywi river catchment,
one of the major beneficiaries of the Fishing
Wales and Sustainable Fisheries Programme.
This programme is funded by the Welsh Assembly
Government and European Structural Funds to
improve the fisheries in Wales. In partnership
with Forestry Commission Wales over 30km of
river habitat restoration is due to be completed
in the Tywi catchment during this financial
year, in which conifer trees will be replaced
to create buffer strips on the river.
