Our Vision

We believe that a regenerative approach to land management, that is based upon an understanding of the foundational role fungi in creating biodiversity, can serve as a basis to reinvigorate a wider social and cultural evolution.

We envision Coed Talylan being a home to at least 3 low-impact dwellings to house a community committed to working the land in ways that actively increase biodiversity while providing regional economic and social benefit through the provision of food and other goods from landbased livelihoods, and facilitating ways access and engaging with the land that will inspire similar initiatives. This is in the true spirit of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park’s new managment plan.

The methods of horticulture, that provide food for the residents and visitors, will demonstrate the benefits of minimal disturbance techniques, bio-intensive fertility regimes, and direct provisioning of the hyphosphere, the thin zone of soil around hyphae of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Excess production over subsistence requirement will be used to cater for visitors and sold locally. With a comprehensive seed saving strategy we will develop localised strains of vegetables.

All electricity will be generated on-site through a combination of solar and micro-hydro with enough surplus to be used by various enterprises on the land.

We want to share the land and what we learn from building this project with a wider community of interest. It is our belief that common ownership and co-operative models of organisation are the most equitable means to redistribute land and resources while drawing together a diversity of actors in developing a bio-regional economy. To this end we have a created the Coed Talylan Land Trust (CTLT) as a multi-stakeholder co-operative to facilitate these aims.

We aim to have a genuine “Eco-Campsite” to welcome Members of the CTLT who support the model of development demonstrated here and who desire to gain a better understanding of how this may work elsewhere.

The CTLT will work to encourage members to adopt and adapt the structure we have designed, making all documentation open source through the co-operative network.

The increased capacity of the mushroom cultivation facilities will provide a range of gourmet and medicinal mushrooms locally and nationally with added value products creating a diverse income for the residents.

The 30 acre fungal restoration project, the Refungium, will be an on-going opportunity for member-led volunteer engagement to establish a diversity of habitats in this nature reserve and model innovative techniques for the proliferation of diversity and especially fungal species.

Our Objectives

  1. Refungium – Establish a 30 acre fungal restoration project

The CTLT will support the development of a pioneering approach to habitat and biodiversity management with a particular focus on fungal bio-diversity as a primary management objective.

  1. To enable the construction of 3 exemplary low-impact houses

Permission has already been granted for one household.  We will seek permission for a further 2 households developing innovative designs that utilise local materials and “zero carbon” methods, as prescribed by the One Planet Development policy.  The cost and management of these low impact dwellings will be met by the residents, not the CTLT, and co-ordinated through the Coed Talylan Housing Co-operative.

  1. Construct a micro-enterprise extension of the existing mushroom processing facility

Planning permission has already been granted for the 80sq.m extension that will include an automated mushroom grow room, food drying facility and further storage/work space.

  1. Install a micro hydro system as part of a “mini-grid” localised energy supply

If permission can be obtained, a 300m pipeline from the Nant Celynog stream and micro hydro turbine will provide a constant supply of electricity in the winter months to maintain the storage capacity of the off grid system primarily powered by solar panels.

  1. Create a pioneering eco-campsite for Members of the CTLT

We welcome visiting members to enjoy an immersive wild camping experience. If permission can be obtained, we would like to develop four small cabins with a unique low-impact design, exemplifying zero carbon construction sympathetic to the landscape. As well as being available to hire for visiting Members, these cabins will also be used for accommodation for researchers and trainees.

  1. Course and Training Centre

With the additional improved infrastructure, we will provide a wider range of training opportunities covering different aspects of sustainability and low impact development.

  1. Create an “Open Source” legal, governance and financial model that will serve as a template for similar initiatives

The process of adapting the structure of the organisation and developing the tools and documentation to realise the project will be shared throughout the co-operative network.

  1. Provisioning the Hyphosphere

The Farming with Fungi Project demonstrates an innovative approach to horticulture that prioritises the proliferation of mycorrhizal fungi here at Coed Talylan and our experimental market garden site and the National Botanic Gardens of Wales.