The landscape of the farming community
Natur Cymru was conceived in the late 1990s as a journal of record about the Welsh environment and its wildlife. At that time it as felt that there was a gap for this type of publication to record significant work taking place in the broad field of environmental sustainability. After this last edition, the gap will reappear. David Parker reflects on this and what needs to come next.
Deborah Sazer considers how well conservation is working for invertebrates.
Wildlife is an inextricable part of the Welsh identity. But do those looking in from outside Wales view wildlife as a distinctive characteristic of the nation and a reason to visit this country? Natalie Buttriss ponders its untapped potential to draw in the Welsh diaspora to visit Wales.
Trevor Dines reviews the state of Welsh botany and the achievements of Plantlife and others during the lifetime of Natur Cymru
Wild Orchids of Wales, reviewed by David Parker. Wildlife diary: a year in the old Welsh county of Meirionnydd, reviewed by David Parker. From Mallards to Martens, reviewed by David Saunders.
Mike Howe, Land Management Planner for National Trust Wales, reports on an ambitious strategy to make a step change for nature on the Trust's land in Wales
Large quantities of seabed animals sometimes wash ashore in Welsh bays. Ivor Rees considers why the benthos of Red Wharf Bay is particularly prone to such seemingly catastrophic events and what this means for monitoring the possible effects of major infrastructure developments.
In contrast to the image of a relentless intensification of land use banishing wildlife, there are places where the wild has reasserted itself, and where the farming is gentle. Matt Sutton - professional conservationist, turned farmer and consultant ecologist- looks back at some Pembrokeshire projects which have features in previous issues of Natur Cymru and concludes that the wild can return, given a nudge in the right direction. Then all we have to do is watch and wait.
Os ydych chi'n caru byd natur a'r iaith Gymraeg mae'n debyg eich bod eisoes yn ymwybodol o'r Naturiaethwr. Mae'r golygydd Dafydd Lewis yn gwahodd darllenwyr i ddod yn fwy cyfarwydd a'r cylchgrawn.
Welsh language article. If you love nature and the Welsh language, you are probably already aware of Y Naturiaethwr. Editor Dafydd Lewis invites readers to become more familiar with this Welsh language wildlife magazine.
Woodland and farmland inhabit policy silos which inhibit creative, sustainable practices such as agro-forestry. John Good considers what progress has been made in breaking down barriers which are unhelpful to owners, the public, and nature.
Ensuring a place for nature in our landscape is about more than identifying sites of special scientific interest (SSSI) and preventing bad things from happening on them; it also depends on positive management. Legislative protection does not provide the resources to do the job, nor anywhere near full coverage of places important for nature. Lizzie Wilberforce reviews some of the pressures on SSSIs and other important places for wildlife, and consider the challenges facing the nature conservation movement, not least the need to re-engage the public sector with site management.
Reporting on the progress of the network
Twm Elias sy'n bwrw trem yn ol ar agweddau gwahanol tuag at fyd natur a ddatgelir gan ganrifoedd a ddogfennau, o lysieulyfrau canoloesol i'r cylchgrawn Y Naturiaethwr a gyhoeddir heddiw.
Welsh language article. Twm Elias looks at different attitudes towards nature revealed over centuries of publications, from medieval documents to the magazine The Naturalist published today.
The importance of iconic species
The vulnerability of the marine environment has come into focus over recent decades, and the rise in conservation efforts should help those charged with protecting Welsh seas from damaging human activities. In his third review of nature at sea, Blaise Bullimore reports that there is still a long way to go.
Nature conservation in Wales is in a state of flux, with the Government's good intentions not yet being reflected in biodiversity gains. The statutory body for conservation is suffering budget cuts, and site protection under European designations could be lost once we have left the EU. Sharon Thomson charts the way through the minefield, outlining what could be done and who should do it.
How do we build an environmentally sustainable society? Jane Davidson considers some of the achievements so far and the challenges ahead.
Mick Green reflects on the disparity between pioneering environmental legislation introduced by the Welsh Government and the reality of what is happening on the ground.
For sixteen years Natur Cymru has witnessed and reported on a rapidly changing environmental agenda, and has provided authors with a space where they can explore and share their passion for nature. James Robertson reflects on this legacy and highlights some of the themes which follow in this farewell special edition (as it was at the time).
An introduction to the edition
