Over twenty Friends members attended this year’s Annual General Meeting held on a rather wet evening at the newly refurbished meeting room at Loggerheads – it’s very impressive! The normal formalities were observed, with the customary retirement and re-election of a third of the Trustees by rote – as required by the constitution. The meeting then unanimously confirmed the appointment of new Trustees Adrian Jones and David Tomlinson, as well as the reappointment of Lorna Jenner, able to resume duties now that she has more time to spare. Adrian is a retired architect with a particular interest in archaeology whilst David, from an IT background, has a long history of volunteering in the environmental arena. Lorna will be known to many through her many publications of relevance to Friends interests.
After the formalities Friends Chair Martyn Holland gave a full and often humorous report on the Charity’s events and activities over the previous year and thanked all those involved. He highlighted the close working relationship with the National Landscape team and complimented them on their continuing good progress. He noted that the Glyndwr National Park proposal was currently waiting a decision from Welsh Government regarding the fixing of the necessary public inquiry. The recognition of the chosen area as meeting the requirement for designation on both recreational and landscape grounds was a real positive but we would now have to wait and see.
The meeting was then treated to a fascinating illustrated presentation from National landscape Officer David Shiel on a range of current NL concerns and activities. He began by explaining the importance of the NL working in close co-operation with the Fire Service, NRW and other service providers in meeting the challenges posed by climatic change. He then went on to provide details of work on peatland restoration, liaising closely with moorland partners, and the Lottery funded Limestone Links project in the north of the area – both vital initiatives in terms of nature recovery and biodiversity. He illustrated this with the example of the damaging abundance of cotoneaster in the limestone area and the difficulties of successfully managing it.
David also provided background on the importance of working closely with the farming community and gave details of the way in which Welsh Government’s Ffermio Bro initiative was led by the NL team locally. He talked about the environmental importance of the recent introduction of Belted Galloway cattle on Caer Drewyn – and how technology enabled the herd to be controlled electronically so that no damage was caused to the hill fort. He gave details of the fight to maintain the curlew as a breeding species in the NL and also referred to the importance of the dark skies initiative – the local team had recently been strengthened by the appointment of a Dark Skies Ecological Networks Officer.
Finally, David gave a preview of improvement work to protect the Jubilee Tower on Moel Famau. This would start shortly after approval by both Denbighshire and Flintshire conservation teams. The catalyst for this vital work had been a substantial donation from a Friends member in memory of his late wife – with Friends acting as custodian of the funds involved. That’s something we’ll all look forward to seeing.
It was then time for a lively questions session before Martyn brought the meeting to an end – with special thanks to David – and to everyone else for coming along. A splendid evening!
Cyfarfod Cyffredinol Blynyddol y Cyfeillion 2026
Mynychodd dros ugain o aelodau’r Cyfeillion Gyfarfod Cyffredinol Blynyddol eleni a gynhaliwyd ar noson eithaf gwlyb yn yr ystafell gyfarfod newydd ei hadnewyddu yn Loggerheads – mae’n drawiadol iawn! Dilynwyd y ffurfioldebau arferol, gyda’r ymddeoliad arferol ac ail-ethol traean o’r Ymddiriedolwyr yn ôl eu trefn – fel sy’n ofynnol gan y cyfansoddiad. Yna cadarnhaodd y cyfarfod yn unfrydol benodiad yr Ymddiriedolwyr newydd Adrian Jones a David Tomlinson, yn ogystal ag ailbenodiad Lorna Jenner, sy’n gallu ailddechrau dyletswyddau nawr bod ganddi fwy o amser i’w sbario. Mae Adrian yn bensaer wedi ymddeol gyda diddordeb arbennig mewn archaeoleg tra bod gan David, o gefndir TG, hanes hir o wirfoddoli yn y maes amgylcheddol. Bydd Lorna yn adnabyddus i lawer trwy ei chyhoeddiadau niferus sy’n berthnasol i fuddiannau’r Cyfeillion.
Ar ôl y ffurfioldebau rhoddodd Cadeirydd y Cyfeillion, Martyn Holland, adroddiad llawn ac yn aml yn ddoniol ar ddigwyddiadau a gweithgareddau’r Elusen dros y flwyddyn flaenorol a diolchodd i bawb a oedd yn rhan. Tynnodd sylw at y berthynas waith agos â thîm Tirwedd Genedlaethol a’u canmol am eu cynnydd da parhaus. Nododd fod cynnig Parc Cenedlaethol Glyndŵr ar hyn o bryd yn aros am benderfyniad gan Lywodraeth Cymru ynghylch pennu’r ymchwiliad cyhoeddus angenrheidiol. Roedd cydnabod yr ardal a ddewiswyd fel un sy’n bodloni’r gofyniad ar gyfer dynodiad ar sail hamdden a thirwedd yn beth cadarnhaol iawn ond byddai’n rhaid i ni aros i weld nawr.
Yna, cafodd y cyfarfod gyflwyniad darluniadol diddorol gan y Swyddog Tirwedd Cenedlaethol David Shiel ar ystod o bryderon a gweithgareddau cyfredol y NL. Dechreuodd drwy egluro pwysigrwydd y NL yn gweithio mewn cydweithrediad agos â’r Gwasanaeth Tân, Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru a darparwyr gwasanaethau eraill wrth fynd i’r afael â’r heriau a achosir gan newid hinsoddol. Yna aeth ymlaen i roi manylion am waith ar adfer mawndiroedd, cysylltu’n agos â phartneriaid rhostiroedd, a’r prosiect Cysylltiadau Calchfaen a ariennir gan y Loteri yng ngogledd yr ardal – menter hanfodol o ran adfer natur a bioamrywiaeth. Dangosodd hyn gydag enghraifft o helaethrwydd niweidiol cotoneaster yn yr ardal galchfaen a’r anawsterau o’i reoli’n llwyddiannus.
Rhoddodd David gefndir hefyd ar bwysigrwydd gweithio’n agos gyda’r gymuned ffermio a rhoddodd fanylion am y ffordd y cafodd menter Ffermio Bro Llywodraeth Cymru ei harwain gan dîm y NL yn lleol. Siaradodd am bwysigrwydd amgylcheddol cyflwyno gwartheg Belted Galloway yn ddiweddar ar Gaer Drewyn – a sut y gwnaeth technoleg alluogi rheoli’r fuches yn electronig fel na fyddai unrhyw ddifrod yn cael ei achosi i’r gaer fryn. Rhoddodd fanylion am y frwydr i gynnal y gylfinir fel rhywogaeth bridio yn y Gogledd Iwerddon a chyfeiriodd hefyd at bwysigrwydd y fenter awyr dywyll – roedd y tîm lleol wedi’i gryfhau’n ddiweddar trwy benodi Swyddog Rhwydweithiau Ecolegol Awyr Dywyll.
Yn olaf, rhoddodd David ragolwg o waith gwella i amddiffyn Tŵr y Jiwbilî ar Foel Famau. Byddai hyn yn dechrau yn fuan ar ôl cymeradwyaeth gan dimau cadwraeth Sir Ddinbych a Sir y Fflint. Y catalydd ar gyfer y gwaith hanfodol hwn oedd rhodd sylweddol gan aelod o’r Cyfeillion er cof am ei ddiweddar wraig – gyda’r Cyfeillion yn gweithredu fel ceidwad yr arian dan sylw. Dyna rywbeth y byddwn ni i gyd yn edrych ymlaen ato.
Yna roedd hi’n bryd cael sesiwn gwestiynau fywiog cyn i Martyn ddod â’r cyfarfod i ben – gyda diolch arbennig i David – ac i bawb arall am ddod. Noson wych!