Get Involved – Help Shape the Future of the Reffwngiwm
Are you interested in fungi, woodland wildlife or nature conservation? Would you like to help us explore, study and restore a woodland with fungal biodiversity at its heart?
We’re inviting people to get involved in the Reffwngiwm, our developing 26-acre fungal nature reserve at Coed Talylan, on the edge of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park.
Our ambition is to create a place where people can come together to explore the extraordinary diversity of woodland life, learn from one another and take an active role in conserving and restoring woodland habitats.
Fungi are at the heart of the project. They connect trees and plants through underground mycorrhizal networks, recycle nutrients, decompose deadwood and provide food and habitat for countless organisms. Yet despite their fundamental importance, fungi are often overlooked in woodland conservation.
We want to explore what happens when we put fungi at the centre of how we understand, restore and manage a woodland.
And we’d like you to be part of that process.
Explore, Discover and Record Woodland Biodiversity
One of our main aims is to develop a better understanding of the woodland and the remarkable diversity of life it supports.
We’re building a community of naturalists, ecologists and volunteers who can help us survey and record fungi, plants, animals and their ecological relationships.
We have a growing collection of equipment and resources available, including field microscopes, laboratory microscopes, identification guides, specimen collection equipment and facilities for investigating fungi using DNA-based identification techniques.
Whether you’re an experienced naturalist or simply curious about the natural world, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved.
Join Our Fungal Forays
We organise regular fungal forays in the Reffwngiwm, exploring the woodland, collecting specimens, identifying species and building a growing record of its fungal biodiversity.
Our programme includes monthly fungal forays throughout the year, increasing to weekly forays during the autumn fungal season.
These gatherings are an opportunity to develop identification skills, share knowledge and contribute to our understanding of the woodland’s fungal communities.
You don’t need any previous experience. We provide identification resources and equipment, and there’s always something new to discover.
Get Involved in Woodland Conservation
Alongside our ecological surveys, we’re developing a programme of regular volunteer woodland conservation days.
These practical sessions will focus on restoring and improving woodland habitats, guided by what we learn through our ecological surveys.
Activities may include:
- Managing and restoring areas of former conifer plantation.
- Encouraging natural woodland regeneration and native tree diversity.
- Creating and maintaining habitats that support fungi and other woodland organisms.
- Investigating the importance of deadwood, woodland soils and different habitat conditions.
- Establishing monitoring areas to follow changes in woodland biodiversity.
- Maintaining access routes and supporting the ongoing care of the woodland.
Our aim is to develop a programme of conservation activities that combines practical experience with ecological learning, giving volunteers an opportunity to understand not only what we’re doing, but why.
Help Shape the Future of the Reffwngiwm
We’re not simply looking for volunteers to carry out conservation tasks. We’re looking for people who want to help decide what those tasks should be.
One of the most important ambitions of the Reffwngiwm is to develop a long-term woodland management and Biodiversity Action Plan, with fungal conservation at its heart.
Rather than arriving with a predetermined plan, we want to develop this collaboratively, informed by ecological surveys, practical experience and the knowledge and interests of the people involved.
We’re particularly interested in bringing together a core group of volunteers who would like to become more closely involved in shaping the project.
Together, we hope to:
- Identify the woodland’s ecological priorities and conservation needs.
- Develop a shared understanding of its fungal, floral and faunal diversity.
- Explore different approaches to woodland restoration and habitat management.
- Design practical conservation activities and ecological monitoring programmes.
- Contribute to the development of a long-term, fungi-centred Biodiversity Action Plan.
We welcome people with a broad range of interests, including mycology, botany, bryology, entomology, ornithology, woodland ecology, conservation management and citizen science.
Just as importantly, we welcome people without specialist knowledge who would like to learn, contribute and develop their understanding of woodland ecology.
The Reffwngiwm is an opportunity to develop a different approach to woodland conservation: one built upon collaboration, shared learning and a deeper understanding of the ecological relationships that sustain woodland life.
Help Us Secure the Woodland for Future Generations
We’re currently seeking funding to acquire a 999-year lease on the 26-acre woodland, securing its long-term future as a dedicated fungal nature reserve.
Our vision is to establish the Reffwngiwm as a place for ecological research, community participation and practical woodland restoration, while developing an approach to fungi-centred conservation that could inspire similar projects elsewhere.
Community involvement is central to making this happen.
By participating in surveys, conservation activities and the development of our woodland management plan, volunteers will help create the foundations for the Reffwngiwm’s long-term future.
Tell Us What You Think
We’re keen to hear from anyone interested in the project, including those who may not have the time to volunteer regularly.
We’ve put together a short questionnaire to gather people’s views on the proposal, what activities they would like to see and how they might want to participate.
Your feedback will help shape our plans and inform our current funding application.
[Complete Our Reffwngiwm Questionnaire]
Come and Get Involved!
Whether you’d like to join an occasional fungal foray, participate in woodland conservation days, contribute specialist knowledge or become part of the core group helping guide the project, we’d love to hear from you.
Our activities are free to attend, and everyone is welcome, regardless of experience.
Come and explore the woodland, discover its extraordinary biodiversity and help us shape the future of the Reffwngiwm.