Woodland & Estate Management at PenmaenuchafA key aspect to any good land management is knowing where boundaries are and keeping them
maintained. Simple in principle but no easy task on the ground at Penmaenuchaf.
The landowners have also spent a lot of time and money attempting to stamp out the scourge of rhododendron ponticum at Penmaenuchaf. |
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A493 Boundary Altogether there are some 3.5 km of boundaries to manage across some fairly hostile terrain. Some of the land bounds the A473 and this requires vigilance to make sure overhanging trees are not endangering high sided vehicles on the main road and complies with Highway Act 1980, Section 154. |
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A493 Boundary After Tree Thinning & Rhododendron Control In 2007 the Snowdonia National Park have helped continue the rhododendron control work at Penmaenuchaf. In November the perimeter of the woodlands was cleared alongside the main road in Penmaenpool. Follow the link above to see the photos taken by Nick Dowkes. |
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Overgrown Boundaries Elsewhere, the boundaries are concerned with delineating neighbouring land and consist of dry stone walls or wire fencing. In places, especially on the western side of the estate, it has proven impossible to walk the boundaries because of rhododendron infestation. In some places twenty years or more of unchecked rhododendron growth has resulted in impenetrable undergrowth giving the walker no choice but to crawl or fight their way through if wishing to keep on course. |
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Walled Boundaries Many of the boundaries consist of dry stone walls which have stood the test of time and require little maintenance. In places, the walls exceed ten feet and must have taken large amounts of effort to build over some very steep ground. |
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Rhododendron Control at Penmaenuchaf, Penmaenpool In 1996 Gavin Miller teamed up with the Forestry Commission and secured fifty percent grant aid to start the eradication programme. More recently, the Snowdonia National Park Authority have been operating an invasive species control programme in the National Park to stamp out non-native problem plants. |
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