Episode 27: Ffynone Woodland

Ffynone Woodland in West Wales is sustainably managed by Growing Heart Workers' Co-operative and provides some of the wood for building at Lammas.

Fynone Woodlands are situated in West Wales, about 7 miles south of Cardigan, in North Pembrokeshire. Located in a secluded valley, the woodlands extend to 325 acres and comprise of around 50% plantations on ancient woodland sites(PAWS) 10% ancient woodland and 40% plantation on former agricultural land.

The woodlands were previously part of the estate of Ffynone mansion and at times must have been a sight to behold, being predominantly native woodland, and that being mostly oak standards over coppice, but also with a number of impressive conifers, many over 100 years of age. Unfortunately in the late 50?s the estate was broken up and the site was cleared, and planted with conifers as a plantation and at that time some of the farmland in the valley bottom was co-opted from the tenant farms of the estate to create a more extensive woodland that we see today. It is now their intention to restore the site to its former glory by converting the woodland back to native broadleaves, on the PAWS sites, and on the former farmland, a mixture of native edible forestry, optimizing the flatter ground and better soils. Retaining the remnant veteran trees will be an important priority.