OVER 24,000 trees have been planted along the banks of four south Wales rivers to help reduce nutrient pollution, improve water quality and help protect nature.

The Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Four Rivers for LIFE project has been busy this tree planting season on the Teifi, Tywi, Cleddau and Usk Rivers.

In partnership with organisations like the National Trust, West Wales Rivers Trust, County Councils and contractors a total of 24,160 native trees have been planted with the aim of reducing nutrient pollution, improving water quality and helping to protect nature.

The trees will soak up excess nutrients from agricultural land run off, improve downstream water quality and provide habitat for wildlife.

The corridors of trees, averaging 10metres in width, act as buffer strips between farmland and the river and have been planted on land that has been fenced to create riparian strips.

Robert Thomas, Four Rivers for LIFE Land Management Officer said: “As the trees mature they will act as an important filter, reducing the amount of excess nutrients reaching the rivers, helping to improve the overall condition of these special rivers.”

As well as providing benefits to the Special Area of Conservation (SAC) river, in time as the trees mature and grow, they will stabilise riverbanks, reduce erosion and soil loss to the river, provide shelter for livestock and shade the river, keeping the water cool for fish.

Simon Rose, Woodland Project Ranger at National Trust Brecon Beacons said: “We have been delighted to work alongside NRW’s Four Rivers for LIFE team and the Woodland Trust at Ty Mawr Farm. This collaborative effort exemplifies the very objectives we seek to achieve through ongoing engagement with volunteer and corporate groups, students from Black Mountains College, and staff from similar organisations on team-building days.”

“Together, we are planting trees and hedgerows that will provide essential food sources and create connected woodlands, fostering the growth of wildlife and the flourishing of habitats.”

The Teifi, Tywi, Cleddau and Usk Rivers are classed as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), meaning they are of international importance for the wildlife and plants that make them home, such as salmon, lamprey, shad, otters and water crowfoot.

The Four Rivers for LIFE Project is funded by the EU LIFE Programme with support from Welsh Government and Welsh Water.

THE SALE of WH Smith’s high street stores has raised concerns that Pembrokeshire could become a “book desert,” limiting access to reading for young people and reducing opportunities for book lovers. With Tenby’s WH Smith and Haverfordwest’s branch now changing brands, the county could soon be left without a major high street book retailer—though independent bookshops like Victoria Bookshop in Haverfordwest continue to serve the community.

WH Smith has now sold its 233-year-old high street business to the owner of Hobbycraft in a £76 million deal. The sale includes 480 stores and affects roughly 5,000 staff. Both the Haverfordwest and Tenby branches are likely to be impacted by the changes, with rebranding on the horizon. The move raises fresh questions about the future of bookselling in the region and whether books will remain a central part of the new business model.

The retailer had previously confirmed it was exploring the sale of around 500 high street stores to focus on its 1,300 branches in airports, hospitals, and train stations. While WH Smith has often been dismissed as “not highbrow enough,” author Gareth Rubin, whose works include Holmes and Moriarty, stressed its importance in introducing people to books. “Kids who started with comics then moved on to children’s books and later to adult fiction. People popped in for stationery and left with a novel. That’s brilliant. If it disappears, we lose that.”

WH Smith’s high street division remains profitable, generating £452m in revenue last year with £32m in profit.

For many Pembrokeshire residents, WH Smith has long been a vital gateway to reading. “As a child, I used to get WH Smith gift vouchers for Christmas to spend on books, so to see the chain leaving our high streets is a huge loss,” said Victoria Selman, author of Truly Darkly Deeply.

“I don’t think the importance of WH Smith’s book sections can be overstated,” added Sarah Underwood, author of Gentlest of Wild Things. “They’re critical for getting books into the hands of teenagers, especially those who are reluctant readers or those who can’t afford the higher prices of independent bookshops.”

In many towns, WH Smith is the only place to buy books without resorting to online shopping. “It’s a huge blow for readers who now find themselves in a book desert,” said Jess Popplewell, author of The Dark Within Us. However, Victoria Bookshop remains a key source of books in Haverfordwest, providing an alternative for local readers.

Authors have also voiced concerns about the potential loss of major book promotion platforms. The Richard and Judy Book Club, run in partnership with WH Smith, has provided many writers with a chance to reach new audiences. “If WH Smith’s high street stores go, it’s likely the book club will disappear too,” said Selman. “That’s another major opportunity lost for authors trying to stand out in an increasingly competitive industry.”

Publishers are also watching closely. Major firms including Hachette and Bloomsbury have urged any new buyer to keep books as a central part of the business. Pan Macmillan noted that WH Smith’s high street stores “play a vital role in the bookselling ecosystem.”

“If these stores close, it would be incredibly damaging for the publishing industry and authors,” said David Headley, managing director of Goldsboro Books. “There will be fewer avenues for promoting commercial fiction and emerging writers.”

Chris Vick, author of Shadow Creatures, warned that fewer bookshops mean fewer readers. “As the channels through which people buy books shrink, the world narrows. There’s less choice, less visibility, and, in the end, fewer people reading.”

With the loss of WH Smith in Tenby and the potential changes ahead for Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire faces an uncertain literary future. The question now is whether independent bookshops like Victoria Bookshop can step in to fill the gap, or if the county will see a permanent decline in high street bookselling.

Funding aimed at helping steelworkers stay in or return to work

MORE than £3 million is being invested by the UK Government and Neath Port Talbot Council to boost mental health services for Tata Steel workers, their families and the wider Port Talbot community.

The £3.27 million package, announced by Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens on Wednesday (March 27), forms part of the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board’s wider £80 million support fund. Over £50 million has already been allocated to help steelworkers and supply chain businesses as the company moves to greener steelmaking.

The new funding will focus on mental health and wellbeing – an area identified as crucial for helping those affected by the transition to secure and sustain employment.

Services set to benefit include:

• Recruitment of additional counsellors to support affected workers
• Grants and resources for existing mental health provision
• Expansion of peer and community support networks such as Men’s Sheds and She Sheds
• Support in schools for children impacted by changes at Tata Steel
• Specialist advice on welfare and debt for affected families
• Suicide prevention and awareness training for council and trade union support staff

The funding is flexible and could be increased depending on demand.

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:
“The past 18 months have been incredibly difficult for the steelworkers of Port Talbot, their families and the wider community. We said we would back them in whatever ways were needed.
“We are helping people learn new skills, but we also need to help protect people’s mental health. Well-being is crucial to getting back into work and staying in work.
“By boosting direct support services, we are investing in the people of the area and supporting growth in the local economy.”

Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning Rebecca Evans MS added:
“Working alongside our Transition Board partners, we will continue to ensure the right assistance is in place for those impacted, as well as providing opportunities for growth, investment and employment wherever they arise.”

Neath Port Talbot Council Leader Cllr Steve Hunt welcomed the funding, saying:
“We know the impact of change at the steelworks is being felt deeply across the area, particularly in Port Talbot where most households are affected in some way.
“This is a vital addition to the support already being delivered as we adapt to the future of steelmaking and prepare for the new opportunities brought by developments like the Celtic Freeport.”

Martyn Wagstaff, a local mental health advisor, said:
“It’s really important that anyone struggling with their mental health asks for help.
“This funding means that people in Neath Port Talbot will be able to access more support when they need it.”

The Transition Board will announce further funding for regeneration and job creation projects in the coming months, with tens of millions of pounds still to be allocated.