A new focus on woodlands and wildlife

at the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT)

By Grace Crabb, CAT Biologist

The woodland and its inhabitants at the Centre for Alternative Technology are in the lime-light this autumn. The slate of the old quarry has slowly been recolonised by a host of organisms, making it an interesting and diverse backdrop to this environmental education centre in the heart of Wales. Through a gradual process of regeneration, the area has become enriched making it possible for new courses and teaching to be developed on site, so that the wildlife can be shared with visitors and students alike.

Woodland is the capturer of carbon from the atmosphere and is an essential component in the future of the land use; for buildings, for heat and for electricity. The woodland here at CAT will be the subject of three new courses in conjunction with the Green Wood Centre: sustainable woodland management, coppicing, and coppice crafts as accredited courses. We shall also be offering Green Wood Working and a range of day events such as hurdle making and charcoal making will be on offer.

Not only will the woodland be explored, but so will the wildlife that inhabits it, with a range of short courses such as Lower Plant Identification, Plant Identification and Freshwater Ecology with Aberystwyth University. Less formal day events such as ‘Mammals of the Old Quarry’, ‘Birds of the Old Quarry’ and ‘Insect Life of the Old Quarry’ are also available. Rod Gritten of Snowdonia National Park will be joining us for courses on Upland Grazing Pressures and Planning within National Parks

CAT will continue to have free day events. The dawn chorus walk was particularly popular this year, and the British Dragonfly Society has been a great help in organising events for us. We shall continue to have regular talks such as the forthcoming “Pine Martins in Wales, Fact or Fiction” on the 27th of November with John Messanger from Vincent Wildlife Trust.

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To find out more download the CAT events and courses lists or visit the website on www.cat.org.uk