The Healthy Hillsides project is a Welsh Government-funded partnership programme designed to reduce the impact of wildfires across the South Wales Valleys.
The project is steered by Natural Resources Wales, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and the Wildlife Trust for South and West Wales and demonstrates collaboration with wider partners to work towards protective wildfire risk management, whilst improving resilience to communities, climate and ecosystems.
This collaborative project brought together a range of land-based sectors, including farming and forestry, to engage with the decision makers, local councils and public service sectors to deliver the two-day Wildfire in Wales 2023 Conference. Hosted at the Orbit Centre, Merthyr Tydfil, the conference showcased the Healthy Hillsides demonstration activities which have been conducted with the purpose of reducing the risk of wildfire across Wales, including the launch of the Wales Wildfire Charter. Attending organisations will be invited to sign up to the Wildfire Charter and work together towards reducing the risk of wildfire within Wales.
The conference included a one-day session of key note speakers, including the Institute’s Senior Technical Officer, Shona Smyth MICFor who presented on encouraging resilience into plantation forests. This included building wildfire into forest planning, with a focus on the use of firebreaks, water management, maintenance, and species choice. The day closed with a discussion on ‘who owns wildfire?’ facilitated by Rob Yorke, environmental dialogue broker. Day two of the conference includes a full day of site visits and demonstrations, including preventative measures for wildfire risk at Bike Park Wales, Gethin Woods.
Following the conference, Health Hillside are aiming to create an action plan of activities and recommendations after the project completion at the end of June 2023. Learn more about Healthy Hillsides on their website.
