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The Green Economy of Wales By Simon Bilsborough |
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| Dr Simon Bilsborough is Chief Economist with the Countryside Council for Wales. |
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It has always been said that “whilst it is possible to have a natural environment existing without an economy, it is impossible to have an economy existing without a natural environment”. It is vital that the work of the Welsh Assembly and its Agencies recognises this strong linkage between the natural environment of Wales and its economic performance. Programmes to promote the sustainable management, use and enjoyment of the environment can be seen to contribute directly to long-term sustainable wealth.
We now understand the full extent to which the management, use and enjoyment underpins the whole of the Welsh economy – and not just the obvious areas such as tourism and agriculture. Headline figures from the Valuing the Environment research report, funded by a wide ranging partnership led by the National Trust, showed that:
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If the natural environment was defined as a sector – in the same way that manufacturing and agriculture are – then it would be second most important in employment terms in Wales, after manufacturing. Within the overall employment figure, the following number of jobs in different sectors are all environmentally-related:
- Employment in agriculture, forestry and fishing is 47,900.
- Employment in environmentally-related tourism is estimated to be 23,600.
- Employment with the landscape services business sector is estimated at 7,000.
- Employment in the public ‘environmental sector’ is 3,852.
- Employment in the voluntary environmental sector is 829.
The importance of environmentally-related tourism to the above is clear. It contributes £821m (1999 figures) annually in spending to the Welsh economy. Programmes to help integrate the enjoyment of the environment with local business opportunities can therefore help expand on this. A good example is Adfywio – the £5.2 million grant scheme funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, and managed jointly by the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) and the Wales Tourist Board (WTB), with additional support from the Forestry Commission (FC). It aims to stimulate rural economic recovery following the foot and mouth outbreak. The aim of the scheme is to provide financial support for projects, which help integrate tourism business more closely with open air recreation, outdoor leisure and the natural environment. Projects seek to:
- Help tourism businesses integrate outdoor recreation and enjoyment of the countryside and coast with a better understanding and appreciation of our natural environment and the historic and cultural character of rural communities.
- Improve or provide new opportunities for outdoor leisure, public access and accessibility for all people to woodlands, water space and the wider countryside and coast.
Adfywio closed its doors to enquiries and new applications in the early autumn of 2003 due to the high demand for the funding available, only 18 months after the scheme started. To December 2003, 192 projects had been awarded grant of just over £5.07 million. Total investment in Wales stimulated by this grant is £13.4 milllion.
Good examples of Adfywio-funded projects are:
- The Whitesands Project, run by St David’s City Council, provides high quality facilities for the refreshment and information of visitors to the area. A new building is designed to be less visually intrusive, with improved energy efficiency with an interpretation area including details of access arrangements. While encouraging alternative transport, the existing car park will be enhanced with landscaping and improvements for disabled visitors.
- The Spirit of Llŷn Art Competition and Festival, run by
Llŷn Tourism Association, is supported by Adfywio for the second year, following the success of the first event. Artists visit the peninsula to paint scenes inspired by its landscape, stimulating trade for businesses in all communities. During February a festival of events is laid on to enable visitors to enjoy the unique environment of the
Llŷn.
- The Trevor Basin Waterside Regeneration project, run by British Waterways, is part of vision for the sustainable development of Trevor Basin, near Llangollen. The Waterside enhancement will promote the area to visitors and canal users and create links with local facilities and attractions. Enhancements include access improvements, landscaping, signage, interpretation and promotional material to develop the tourism potential of Trevor.
- Coed Lleol Cymru, run by the Small Woods Association, aims to enhance appreciation of the economic, social, environmental, educational and health value of the country’s woodlands amongst visitors and local communities. It seeks to raise awareness of the value of woodlands in enhancing visitor experience in rural Wales with woodland owners and managers. This involves local and national events, guides to woodlands open to the public, a quarterly magazine and website.
- Llynnon Mill, a project run by Ynys Môn County Council, is the only working windmill in Wales. As a working rural museum, it is staffed by a full time Miller and two assistants. The mill produces stoneground flour and is an active testimony to the rural traditions of Anglesey - Môn Mam Cymru. The site boasts a traditional tea room, craftworkers’ outlet, car parking and disabled facilities.
Llynnon Mill- Inland Waterways for Canoeing is a project run by the Wales Canoeing Association, to draw together structures that support the promotion and delivery of canoeing on inland waterways in Wales, integrating facilities, providers and accommodation. It aims to publicise Wales as a prime destination for canoeists using its website. It will provide CD Rom and marketing media, while brokering additional agreements and analysing the economic benefits for paddlesports.
Paddlesport - A project managed by Denbighshire Countryside Service is helping the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty gear up for off road cycling. The ‘Ride the Clwyds’ project promotes routes that take in the full splendour of the Range. Since April 2003, project officer Jim Gaffney has been developing the routes, developing a website, and creating links with cyclists, B&Bs, cafes, hotels, and cycle shops.
“We are lucky that a superb network of bridleways, by-ways and minor roads criss-cross the Clwydian hills, Vale of Clwyd and Llandegla area”; says Jim. “By providing way marking and appropriate promotion we can enable local businesses to benefit financially from cycling visitors.”
As well as this work on the routes, bike racks are being fitted to local buses to enable a greater diversity of rides, reduce the use of cars, and provide welcome relief for tired legs!
Preliminary estimates of Adfywio, suggest that it will have had a positive impact on the rural economy of Wales. Based on established economic models we are predicting that Adfywio will have stimulated over £12 million of investment in tourism related work in Wales, creating in the region of 450 jobs. These estimates do not take into account visitor spending at Adfywio supported attractions, so the final jobs figure is likely to be higher. A more detailed evaluation next year will ascertain the full impact of the scheme.