A few years ago there was quite a hoo-ha about the National Trust buying 'Snowdon' but what was really happening - more significantly - was the purchase of different agricultural holdings - Hafod y Llan, Bwlch and Gelli Iago. In fact, with other properties, Hafod y Porth, Aberglaslyn Pass, Cwm Bychan, the Trust owns about a third of the land of the Community Council of Beddgelert.

Without making any reference whatsoever to the political dimension of the above fact, is it a good or bad thing that so much land is owned by a trust/charity and are there lessons to be learnt for other parts of rural Wales?

There is no doubt that the level of activity from Nant Gwynant to Aberglaslyn Pass has increased substantially over the last few years. With the Nant Gwynant Integrated Land Management having received Objective 1 money for the second time, much is changing. In agriculture the holdings are being re-converted to mixed farms with Welsh Black Cattle appearing, once again, on the hillsides. A number of conservation projects are in hand, such as getting rid of excessive Rhododendron cover, rebuilding stone walls, regenerating woodlands and so on. The importance of tourism is fully acknowledged with a low level footpath network being created. This will be in addition to the work already being undertaken on the mountains under the Snowdonia Uplands Footpath Initiative where the Trust is a partner with the National Park and the Countryside Council. Education and interpretation are also important components in the overall picture with progress being guided by the Eifionydd and Beddgelert Interpretation Strategy.

Nant Gwynant

Keeping an eye on all of this is the Beddgelert Local Liaison Committee which meets regularly with the Trust to move that basic process of communication along, so that everybody knows what is happening!

We are familiar with the elements of the crisis in the countryside, including employment, the ageing agriculture workforce, the difficulty of having affordable housing - all leading to the haemorrhaging of young people and the subsequent loss of vivacity in the countryside. There are clear indications around Beddgelert that the tide is beginning to turn.

The community feels that it is very much involved in the change and with houses available for renting there is now evidence that the web holding the society together is re-emerging. It is not only in Beddgelert that the the National Trust has had a positive influence. Not far away is Ysbyty Ifan - which continues to be a vibrant Welsh-speaking settlement and in the southwest significant changes are afoot in places like Llanerchaeron for example.

One wonders, therefore is it not through trusts and/or charities and a sort of semi-public ownership that we can find ONE way to secure the future of our rural areas? When a body takes over the land with charitable objectives similar to the National Trust, then the future can be secured.

Things are not that simple, of course and that type of arrangement would not be suitable in every case (and no, this is not an argument for nationalising land!). There are examples, however, such as, internationally, the John Muir Trust but, more significantly, in many parts of rural Wales community associations have taken over shops etc and so why not a piece of land?

A false dream perhaps but does not a real crisis cry out for radical thinking and action?

(It should be noted that this article is intended to provoke thinking and does not presume any policy within CPRW.)

Merfyn Williams

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