When INCC took over the production of the magazine Natur Cymru in 2020, we were very excited- but it’s fair to say that it was also a slightly intimidating prospect.
There was no doubt that the magazine was much missed by its readers, and its absence left a void in the market for an in-depth publication dedicated to wildlife and conservation in Wales. However, a new financial model had to be found to make the magazine break even, after it ceased publication in 2017 due to the loss of government funding. Could we make up that shortfall, and still maintain the high standard set by the original team?
We’ve been incredibly lucky to receive three packages of financial support to cover our start-up costs, whilst we re-build a subscriber base. This includes the balance of crowd-funded financial support from past subscribers, transferred to us from the magazine’s 2017 account, but also significant donations from the Morgan Parry Foundation and the Waterloo Foundation. This funding has supported us to produce the first new edition, issue 63, released in January – and send a complimentary copy to all past subscribers, as well as start recruiting new ones!
The good news is that we already have 400 subscribers, who have signed up since January – a mixture of new and returning readers, for whom we are incredibly grateful. New subscribers are still regularly coming in.
We were painfully aware that we were having to ask for a higher subscription payment than previously, but we’ve been really touched by the generosity and kindness of our supporters, and how many of you have not only re-subscribed, but chosen to donate extra to the charity on top of supporting the magazine. We are not quite at break even yet, but we are close enough to be confident in achieving it, given time.
We’d like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has taken the time to give us feedback on the new edition, as well as support us financially. The positive feedback has been lovely to read, and the suggestions for changes or improvements are all being looked at carefully and acted on wherever we can – more on that in the summer edition!
Thank you also to the subscribers who have also volunteered to write, donated photographs and artwork, and helped with marketing and promoting the magazine.
At time of writing, we’re just finalising the content for the summer edition (#64). We’ve got a range of exciting subjects featuring in this issue, including landscape-scale conservation in the Amman Valley by Rob (INCC), the ecology of the strandline, an interview with Steph Tyler MBE, the effects of light pollution on seabirds, weasels and stoats, learning about waxcap fungi, a critical look at ecological consultancy, and much, much more!
A heartfelt thankyou to all of you for your support, and for the pleasure of being able to share the value you place in the magazine. We hope you continue to subscribe to and enjoy the publication, and if you can, please do encourage friends and family to do the same (gift subscriptions are available!). Every single subscriber helps make us more secure and sustainable in the longer term.
Lizzie Wilberforce lizzie.wilberforce@incc.wales
