The management of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape is governed by a Joint Committee (JC) and its success depends upon the strong partnerships built with communities, volunteers, farmers and landowners, and organisations such as Natural Resources Wales and CADW. We all work together with a common goal of improving our environment and making it more accessible.
Joint Committee
The three Local Authorities of Denbighshire, Wrexham and Flintshire entered into a legal agreement to jointly perform their National Landscape duties by means of a Joint Committee in the summer of 2014. The Committee is made up of Lead members of each Local Authority and has the power to act on behalf of those Local Authorities in delivering the purposes of the National Landscape. It is supported by an Officer’s Working Group of relevant officers from the constituent Local Authorities, Natural Resources Wales and the National Landscape Partnership.
The National Landscape Partnership
The National Landscape Partnership reports to and advises the Joint Committee in the development and delivery of the National Landscape Management Plan. It was established to ensure a wide range of interests are represented in planning and delivering the work of the National Landscape. There are 25 members representing the urban and rural communities which make up the National Landscape, three local authority members from each of the partner authorities, landowners, recreation, access and other special interests such as biodiversity and the historic environment.
Working Groups have been established to help focus the work of the Partnership in steering the delivery of the National Landscape Management Plan. These are:
- Landscape Character and Built Environment
- Land Management and Natural Environment
- Historic Environment
- Health, Recreation and Access
- Sustainable Tourism and Business
- Sustainable Development Fund
Each Working Group is able to expand its membership beyond the partnership and can co-opt members from relevant bodies to advise on particular aspects of work. The Land Management and Natural Environment Group for example includes the Biodiversity Officers from each of the Local Authorities and officers from the North Wales Wildlife Trust. Similarly, the Historic Environment Group has co-opted representation from CADW, the Royal Commission and CPAT.
Our Key Partners
We work in partnership with a wide variety of groups and organisations to deliver projects and improvements around the National Landscape, including:
- Denbighshire County Council
- Flintshire County Council
- Wrexham County Borough Council
- Natural Resources Wales
- Welsh Government
- CADW
- Cadwyn Clwyd
- Canal and River Trust
- National Trust
- North Wales Wildlife Trust
- Public Health Wales
- Natural Resources Wales
A vital link between the National Landscape and the Welsh Government, Natural Resources Wales advises on national policy and provides core funds for staff and project work. Their officers work closely with us both nationally and regionally.
In collaboration with Natural Resources Wales, we help to deliver community projects at four forests in the Clwydian Range: Moel Famau, Llangwyfan, Nercwys and Pen y Pigyn.
Friends of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley
The charity Friends of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley was set up in 2015 with support from the National Landscape team to help current and future generations discover and enjoy the special features of the National Landscape. They now have over 200 members and support the National Landscape team with events and projects while also offering their own event programme and publishing a regular newsletter.
Volunteers
Many people from across the National Landscape, and beyond, regularly give up their time to get involved in our programme of practical tasks ranging from dry stone walling and hedge laying to counting black grouse. Quite simply, our work could not happen without their help. You too can get involved in our varied range of volunteering opportunities: find out how.