Upper Conwy Catchment Project

Hundreds of acres of hillside in the slate landscape of Snowdonia have been brought into our care to bolster wildlife populations, tackle climate change and increase interest in the area’s mining history. Located at the head of the Conwy Catchment where we’ve been working with Natural Resources Wales for over a decade to slow the flow of water to reduce risk of flooding and create rich habitats to tackle climate change. This remote 1,600-acre site plays a significant role in continuing this work on a landscape scale for the benefit of people and nature. Find out more

It's been a challenging year, but despite this we've still managed to achieve so much. Find out what our team have been up to and all latest from the project by reading our newsletter

We’re now applying techniques we trialled at Carrog to other sites within the catchment including Nant y Gwryd, a river flanked by Wales’ highest peak, Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon). In September, together with our partners Natural Resource Wales (NRW), we began re-profiling the steep banks and re-positioning some large boulders in a previously modified section of the river. We are already starting to see some changes, with the river shifting from a straight glide (like a canal) to developing sections of pools (deep water) and riffles (fast flowing areas), with gravel shoals forming around the boulders. This creates a greater variety of features within the river and improves the habitat for spawning fish, such as brown trout and birds such as kingfisher, common sandpiper and dipper.