Written by John Roberts
I first came into direct contact with Llangollen based Countryside Ranger/Project Officer Morgan when he organised the making of the four splendidly crafted seats Friends provided for use at Wenffrwd and the old railway link to Llangollen – and then led the team that installed them! Catching up with him was long overdue but it was cool and damp when we met at the Corwen Community Garden and we soon adjourned to a nearby caff. Here’s how out chat went:-
Tell me a little about your early background.
I’m a Dyffryn Conwy boy, brought up in the village of Ty’n y Groes, where I still live with my family. I went to primary school in the neighbouring village of Tal y Bont and then secondary school in Llanrwst. My home and surroundings, and especially the natural world, have always been special to me. From an early age I was involved in helping my father run his game shoot in the hillside above Ro Wen – and I now carry that on myself at weekends.
What happened next?
Like many people at that age, I was unsure what I wanted to do when school came to an end. A year of odd jobbing in the local area was enough to convince me to take up a place at Harper Adams University in Shropshire to study Countryside Management and things have taken off from there. I worked for Conwy Council’s Rights of Way team as part of my University placement year and took up a full time position with Denbighshire Rights of way after graduating. I still retain a close interest in countryside access and its importance for our health and well-being.
And this led to work with the then AONB?
Yes, I shared the rights of way work with support for the Green Communities Project based at Loggerheads and this combination was great experience for someone in the early stages of their career. I was then lucky enough to be taken on as a member of the Llangollen based Ranger Team and that appointment was subsequently made permanent.
What do you enjoy most about the work?
Everything really! It’s very rewarding, very varied and closely related to my love of the countryside. So many highlights. We’ve just been walking through the community garden here in Corwen and the pleasure that brings to those involved is inspirational. Then there’s the work we do with the “Nature for Health” team which supports so many local people with their health and well-being.
You’ve also helped Friends with events too.
Yes, we like to provide walks and a chance to get to know our countryside better. We look forward to doing more of this. Ironically, I’m spending quite a lot of time in the office at the moment. Things like the improvements we are making at the Horseshoe Falls in Llangollen with Levelling Up Funding require a lot of attention to detail and much of this means sitting at the computer. I don’t mind though as it’s important to get these things right and the satisfaction comes from seeing the real improvement on the ground.
There have been some team changes lately too – how has that impacted on you?
I have to say that it hasn’t been easy. Several members of staff have been on temporary contracts and have taken other opportunities when financial pressures have meant contract extensions were unlikely. When you work so closely as a team you really miss colleagues when they move on – but it’s all part of gaining experience. Hopefully, they will be successful in their new roles and, who knows, may rejoin us in the future.
What about your spare time?
I’m never happier than spending time on my home ground in the Conwy Valley. I now run the family shoot and I’m fully involved with that in the season. I also have two springer spaniels and they are great company when I’m out in the field and walking in the hills. The friendship and camaraderie involved is great too and it is something I’ll always really enjoy.
What about the future?
I’m really happy with what I do and want to continue to develop my skills and experience in countryside management. Who knows quite what changes lie ahead, but I’m confident that I have a lot to offer whatever shape things take. Certainly too, I’ll want to keep my roots in the Conwy Valley. It always gives me a lift when I see it, with the Carneddau in the background, when I’m driving home.
Usual final question – what’s your favourite place in the AONB?
Difficult one – but I’m going for World’s End and Ruabon Moor which are really special to me. I must mention Bryn Alyn too from my time at Loggerheads.
Cwrdd â’r Tîm – Morgan Vaughan Jones
Cyfieithiad o gyfweliad John Roberts
Y tro cyntaf i mi ddod i gyswllt uniongyrchol gyda Morgan, sy’n Geidwad Cefn Gwlad/Swyddog Prosiect sy’n seiliedig yn Llangollen, oedd pan drefnodd creu’r pedair sedd hynod grefftus a ddarparodd Cyfeillion i’w defnyddio yng Ngwenffrwd a’r hen gyswllt rheilffordd i Langollen – ac yna arweiniodd y tîm a fu’n eu gosod! Roedd hi’n hen bryd dal i fyny gyda Morgan ond roedd hi’n oer a thamp pan wnaethon ni gyfarfod yng Ngardd Gymunedol Corwen, felly aethon ni draw i gaffi gerllaw. Dyma sut aeth ein sgwrs:-
Dywed rhywfaint wrtha i am dy gefndir cynnar.
Hogyn o Ddyffryn Conwy ydw i, cefais fy magu ym mhentref Ty’n y Groes, a dw i’n dal i fyw yno gyda fy nheulu. Es i i’r ysgol gynradd ym mhentref cyfagos Tal y Bont, ac wedyn i’r ysgol uwchradd yn Llanrwst. Mae fy nghartref a’r hyn sydd o’m hamgylch, yn enwedig byd natur, bob amser wedi bod yn bwysig i mi. Ers i mi fod yn ifanc, roeddwn i’n helpu fy nhad i redeg ei ddigwyddiadau hela yn y llethrau uwchben Rowen – a dw i’n dal i wneud hynny fy hun ar benwythnosau.
Beth ddigwyddodd nesaf?
Fel nifer o bobl yr oed hwnnw, doeddwn i ddim yn siŵr beth oeddwn i am ei wneud ar ôl gadael yr ysgol. Ar ôl blwyddyn o wneud jobsys yma ac acw yn yr ardal leol, cefais le ym Mhrifysgol Harper Adams yn Swydd Amwythig i astudio Rheolaeth Cefn Gwlad ac mae pethau wedi datblygu o hynny. Bues i’n gweithio i dîm Hawliau Tramwy Cyngor Conwy fel rhan o’r flwyddyn ar leoliad o’r Brifysgol a chefais swydd lawn amser gyda thîm Hawliau Tramwy Sir Ddinbych ar ôl graddio. Mae gen i ddiddordeb brwd mewn mynediad at gefn gwlad o hyd a’i bwysigrwydd o ran ein hiechyd a’n lles.
Ac arweiniodd hyn at weithio gyda’r Ardal o Harddwch Naturiol Eithriadol, fel yr oedd ar y pryd?
Do, bues i’n rhannu’r gwaith hawliau tramwy gyda chefnogaeth i’r Prosiect Cymunedau Gwyrdd yn Loggerheads ac roedd y cyfuniad hwn yn brofiad gwych i rhywun a oedd ar gamau cynnar eu gyrfa. Yna bues i’n ddigon lwcus i gael bod yn rhan o’r Tîm Ceidwaid yn Llangollen ac wedyn fe drodd y swydd honno’n un barhaol.
Beth wyt ti’n ei fwynhau fwyaf am y gwaith?
Popeth, a dweud y gwir! Mae’n rhoi boddhad mawr, mae’n amrywiol ac mae’n cysylltu’n agos gyda fy nghariad at gefn gwlad. Mae gymaint o uchafbwyntiau. Rydym ni newydd fod yn cerdded trwy’r ardd gymunedol yma yng Nghorwen, ac mae’r pleser mae’r bobl sy’n cymryd rhan yn ei gael o hynny yn ysbrydoledig. Wedyn mae’r gwaith rydym ni’n ei wneud gyda’r tîm “Natur er budd Iechyd”, sy’n cefnogi gymaint o bobl leol gyda’u hiechyd a’u lles.
Rwyt ti wedi helpu’r Cyfeillion gyda digwyddiadau hefyd.
Do, rydym ni’n hoffi cynnal teithiau cerdded a chynnig cyfle i ddod i adnabod ein cefn gwlad yn well. Rydym ni’n edrych ymlaen at wneud mwy o hyn. Yn eironig, rydw i’n treulio cryn dipyn o amser yn y swyddfa ar hyn o bryd. Mae angen rhoi llawer o sylw i fanylder ar gyfer pethau fel y gwelliannau rydym ni’n eu gwneud yn Rhaeadr y Bedol yn Llangollen gyda Chyllid Ffyniant Bro, ac mae llawer o hyn yn golygu gwaith ar gyfrifiadur. Ond dydw i ddim yn meindio oherwydd mae’n bwysig cael pethau’n iawn ac mae’r boddhad yn dod o weld gwelliannau go iawn ar lawr gwlad.
Bu rhai newidiadau i’r tîm yn ddiweddar hefyd – sut mae hynny wedi effeithio arnat ti?
Mae’n rhaid i mi ddweud nad ydi pethau wedi bod yn hawdd. Mae nifer o aelodau o staff wedi bod ar gontractau dros dro ac wedi cymryd cyfleoedd eraill pan fo pwysau ariannol wedi golygu nad oedd hi’n debygol y byddai contractau’n cael eu hymestyn. Wrth weithio mor agos fel tîm, rydych chi’n hiraethu am gydweithwyr pan fyddan nhw’n symud ymlaen – ond mae’n rhan o ennill profiad. Gobeithio y byddan nhw’n llwyddiannus yn eu rolau newydd, a phwy a ŵyr, efallai byddan nhw’n dychwelyd atom ni yn y dyfodol.
Beth am dy amser hamdden?
Rydw i wrth fy modd pan fydda i’n treulio amser ym mro fy mebyd yn Nyffryn Conwy. Fi sy’n rhedeg digwyddiadau hela’r teulu bellach a dw i’n rhan fawr o hynny yn ystod y tymor. Mae gen i ddau springer spaniel hefyd ac maen nhw’n gwmni gwych pan fydda i allan yn y cae neu’n cerdded y bryniau. Mae’r cyfeillgarwch a’r gwmnïaeth yn wych hefyd ac mae’n rhywbeth y bydda i’n ei fwynhau bob amser.
Beth am y dyfodol?
Dw i’n hapus iawn gyda’r hyn dw i’n ei wneud a dw i’n awyddus i barhau i ddatblygu fy sgiliau a phrofiad mewn rheolaeth cefn gwlad. Pwy a wŷr pa newidiadau sydd o’n blaenau, ond dw i’n hyderus bod gen i lawer i gynnig, beth bynnag a ddaw. Bydda i’n bendant am gadw fy ngwreiddiau yn Nyffryn Conwy hefyd. Mae’n rhoi hwb i mi bob amser bydda i’n ei weld, gyda’r Carneddau yn y cefndir wrth i mi yrru adref.
Y cwestiwn olaf arferol – beth yw dy hoff le yn yr Ardal o Harddwch Naturiol Eithriadol?
Un anodd – ond dw i am ddewis Pen Draw’r Byd a Rhostir Rhiwabon, sy’n arbennig iawn i mi. Mae’n rhaid i mi sôn am Fryn Alyn hefyd, o’m cyfnod yn Loggerheads.