#gwynedd

[wild-e-eep]

Rainy day in North Wales.

[mothmiso]

24-09 Wales-Dorothea Mine (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) by Alasdair Massie

Via Flickr:

(1) Y Garn (3) Engine house (5) Lancashire boilers     

[reasonsforhope]

"Two so-called “Celtic rainforests” in the UK are to be restored with a mixture of native planting and natural reforestation.

The hope is that they will provide rich habitats for dozens of species, improve groundwater quality and flood prevention, and allow residents and tourists to experience an exceptionally rare forest biome called temperate rainforest.

The most famous and largest temperate rainforests on Earth are found in the US states of Oregon and Washington, along Brazil’s Atlantic coast (known as the Atlantic Forest), and on New Zealand.

Pictured: Map of the global distribution of temperate rainforests. Source: Wikipedia

Britain, especially Wales, would have featured a certain amount of these Celtic rainforests in areas that experience high moisture content coming off the ocean, and low variations in annual temperatures.

One such place is Creg y Cowin on the Isle of Man, where 28 hectares (70 acres) of native Celtic rainforest will be planted by hand, and another 8 hectares (20 acres) left to regenerate naturally.

The Manx Wildlife Trust will be responsible for the project, and it anticipates “the return of oakwood dwellers such as wood warbler, pied flycatcher, and redstart, as well as raptors, owls, and woodland invertebrates.”

Historic agricultural dwellings called “tholtans” will be left on the landscape for their historical and cultural significance.

Elsewhere, in Gwynedd, North Wales, another 40 hectares (112 acres) of Celtic rainforest will be raised via a mixture of native planting and regeneration. The selected site is the peak and slopes of Bwlch Mawr, near the university town of Byrn Mawr.

“There’s real momentum now to restore and expand our amazing temperate rainforests, and it’s brilliant to see the Wildlife Trusts advancing their plans,” Guy Shrubsole, environmental campaigner and author of The Lost Rainforests of Britain, told the Guardian in the wake of the announcements."

-via Good News Network, 4/7/23

[thesilicontribesman]

Caer Bach Iron Age Hut Circle, nr. Rowen, Conwy Valley, Gwynedd, Wales

Sited just outside the hillfort and displacing part of its earthen ramparts, the hut circle is now a flat plateau of mainly small stones.

[sowhatifiliveinfukuoka]

My former life...

Talsarnau, Gwynedd, Wales (flickr)

Porthmadog bound

[opelman]

Typhoon by Treflyn Lloyd-Roberts Via Flickr: RAF Typhoon ZK341 speeds past Bwlch in the Mach Loop on a low level training sortie. Aircraft: Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK341. Location: Bwlch yr Oerddrws, Gwynedd, Wales.

[aneverydaything]

Day 2261, 31 August 2024

Tryweryn River (Afor Tryweryn) at Bala, Gwynedd, Wales

I had taken part in the Pont Y Bala Parkrun this morning which follows this beautiful river along the path on the right hand side of the photograph

[lotolle]

Doodling a request for my dearest friend's wife! Her Baldur's Gate OC with her fave, Halsin~

[theshatterednotes]

British philosopher, Nobel Prize laureate in 1950 and mentor to Ludwig Wittgenstein

[hikinguk]

Dinorwic Quarry, Eryri National park

[l8in]

After 5 years of not presenting any social services complaints handling report to cyngor Gwynedd council's care scrutiny committee, the SS departments now drop two in a matter of months...

The children's annual report does not contain an update on the historic complaint mentioned in the 2022/23 report, presented earlier this year. Is this because of the action being taken against the council with regard to Neil Foden? Or does it concern Canolfan Brynffynnon?

A reminder that the council received a report into the pru case just as the former director of SS quit the council.

The 2023/24 complaints report is authored by Marian Parry Hughes – Head of Children and Supporting Families Department and Aled Davies – Head of Adults, Health and Well-being Department. It is defensive and gives little detail to the nature of the complaints. An example -

Not one councillor asked about this...

Pre pandemic, there was maladministration in the council's dealings with disabled people and their families - on several occasions. The complaints handling officers came in for much criticism during some investigations...

Past complainants have spoken of being gaslit and smeared by officers when raising a complaint and that senior officers created a false narrative and colluded in cover up when challenged. 

Deny, attack, reverse victim/offender...

The heads of service also mention -

Fact check...? The heads of service know better than anyone that the Ombudsman granted Gwynedd council 'variances' to PSOW recommendations after investigations had ended.

After its dealings with cyngor Gwynedd, the PSOW now requires robust evidence of compliance before signing off and closing cases. So has the PSOW closed the case and which one are the officers referring to? There are several...

Investigations often uncover issues with law, policies and behaviours and the recommendations for improvement are meant to rectify failings. 

Why the PSOW allowed the CEO to water down these improvements is not known...

For what its worth, the report can be found in the agenda pack here - https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/g5188/Public%20reports%20pack%2026th-Sep-2024%2010.30%20Care%20Scrutiny%20Committee.pdf?T=10

The webcast of the care scrutiny committee held on Thursday, 26th September, 2024 -  https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/915151

Something is so very wrong within Gwynedd council...

[wild-e-eep]

Tremella mesenterica - yellow brain fungus - adding some brightness to a dull day. :-)

[mothmiso]

Barmouth, Wales (2) (3) by Cameron Hurdus

[travelella]

Portmeirion, Gwynedd, UK

Aneta Pawlik

[emilytakesphoto]

grazing

[sowhatifiliveinfukuoka]

My former life...

Talsarnau, Gwynedd, Wales (flickr)

Direction of travel