A new Single Environmental Body for Wales

Today, the Welsh Government confirmed its commitment to create a new environmental organisation for Wales that would include the present services being delivered by the Countryside Council for Wales, the Environment Agency and the Forestry Commission. The road to get to this point hasn't been straightforward (I sit on CCW Council and know the effort that been expended by many officers from all three organisations) and will, I'm confident, lead to a stronger future.

Minister for Environment & Sustainability, John Griffiths said: "We know the natural environment is crucial to the Welsh economy and that modern life means pressure on our natural resources is constantly increasing. It is more important than ever our environment is managed as effectively and efficiently as possible to ensure the best outcomes for Wales...having carefully considered the business case, I am convinced the establishment of a single environmental body will ensure the most sustainable and effective management of Wales' natural resources."

Morgan Parry, chairman of the CCW, said the new body would provide a "great opportunity" for a more "joined-up approach" in managing Wales' environment in a sustainable way. EAW director Chris Mills and Jon Owen Jones, chair of FCW, also welcomed the announcement.

Following the minister's decision, a consultation on the role and functions of the new body will begin in January 2012, with the aim of it being fully functional from April 1, 2013.

Roaring Dragons

Roaring Dragons: Prototyping a Country for Sustainability

With business leading the charge in many areas of sustainability and climate action, progress is being demonstrated, yet not yet at sufficient scale or speed to create optimism. Only when ambition matches the scale of the challenge can we rebuild the spring, energy and creativity that is needed to unleash action in employees, communities and organisations. Changing teams, departments and whole companies is laudable, yet not enough. It is time to explore radical new approaches to sustainability, forge new collaborations and rapidly share insights, practices and opportunities. It's time to go to scale and prototype a country.

In May 2012, Hay on Earth will host leaders from a dozen of the largest international businesses, working             alongside the Welsh Government and industry experts to transform energy, food security, recycling, resource management and biodiversity at a level that shows what can be done.

Wales was the first industrialised nation in the world and is well placed to be a workshop for the world organisations to understand and practice what works. With sustainability already embedded as a central organising principal of government, a new Natural Environment Framework being developed that will put ecosystem thinking into decision making, and a Sustainability Bill in 2014 making sustainability a legal duty, there are few if any places where rapid change is more possible.

When business, government and community demonstrate that they can catalyse change in one small, connected country, they will build confidence and capability to magnify solutions and share them globally.

It's time to demonstrate what's possible. If you want to be part of the journey, drop a note.

The Fat of the Land

“Its not a question of whether we should follow the Danes’ lead [and tax high fat foods]– we have to. If we don’t do anything about it, by 2050, 70% of the British population will be obese or overweight and that would result not only in the downfall of the NHS but also of our national workforce.

Tam Fry, National Obesity Forum

Via  Clickonwales, with comments from John Osmond and Steve Garrett

Tyfu Pobol - Growing People

Forwarded press release from Katie Jones, the driving force behind FCFCG in Wales:

A new programme to help people set up and manage growing schemes in the heart of their community has been launched across Wales by the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens (FCFCG).

Called Tyfu Pobl (Growing People), is funded through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013, which is itself funded by the Welsh Government and the European Union. The three year programme will support a variety of schemes, including community farms, allotments, community gardens, community orchards and Community Supported Agriculture schemes. It is a direct result of booming interest in community food growing and creating natural green spaces.

The Welsh Government-funded programme will ensure that community groups don’t work in isolation – local people will be encouraged to share their knowledge and expertise so that connections between new and well-established growing schemes are created throughout Wales.

A new development team is already in place, with regional offices in Cardiff, Pembrokeshire, Newtown and Bangor (contact details below).  Meanwhile a Community Enterprise and Funding Coordinator to help combat the withering effects of the current funding climate by accessing funding sources and working with groups so they become more financially sustainable and less grant reliant.

As part of the programme, local growing groups will benefit from support and advice from the development team as well as fieldworkers drawn from existing groups and allotments mentors. A travel bursary scheme will also be available so groups can visit each other’s sites and regional meetings to enable local growers and gardeners to meet up, learn new skills and swap ideas and inspiration.

An official launch event takes place on 23-24 September at Greenmeadow Community Farm in Cwmbran, which will kick off the new autumn programme of regional gatherings and training events. Training will be delivered around 4 main areas; sustainability, social inclusion, the setting up of a community growing project and the creation of community growing spaces for land owners.

Introducing the new Tyfu Pobl Development Team

South East Wales (Cardiff) Office Tel: 0292 0225942
Katie Jones (Development Manager): 07793 669 721; katie@farmgarden.org.uk

Emma Williams (South East Wales Development Worker): 07786 880119; emma@farmgarden.org.uk 
Tim Atkinson (Community Enterprise & Funding Co-ordinator):07755 7004608; tim@farmgarden.org.uk 
Abby Charles (Wales Administrator): abigail@farmgarden.org.uk

South West Wales Office Tel: 01834 869927
Rupert Dunn (SW Wales Development Worker): 07787 773437; rupert@farmgarden.org.uk 
Unit 1A, The Old School, Station Road, Narberth, Pembrokeshire SA67 7DU. 

Mid Wales Office Tel: 01686 946235
Gary Mitchell (Mid Wales Development Worker) 07866 802737; gary@farmgarden.org.uk  
Cwm Harry Land Trust, Unit H, Vastre Industrial Estate, Newtown, Powys SY16 1DZ.

North Wales Office Tel: 01248 208630
Sarah Collick (North Wales Development Worker) 07910 498762; sarah@farmgarden.org.uk 
Ty Gwydr / Greenhouse, 1 Trevelyan Terrace, High Street, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 1AX.

Telegraph article on Hay Festival eco happenings

Geofferey Lean is the Daily Telegraph's environment correspondent, and for the next 10 days, he's esconsced in the Green Room at the Hay Festival, reporting on all things green and eco that are happening on the festival site and across Wales.

He wrote a good article on Saturday with a lovely headline "For the greenest nation, look west"

The Telegraph's equivalent of the Guardian's comment is free has the predictable range of neocons, deniers and voices of reason, some of whom are more than happy to dismiss the stories in Lean's article as insignificant - small though they may be, many of them are positive starts to something bigger and more worthwhile.

The Green Dragon's Den is running Tuesday-Friday at the Hay Festival, insterspersed with some excellent music and comdey.