The threats facing the rich array of plant and animal life on the planet are greater than at any time in our history. Globally, we’re using the planet’s resources and producing carbon dioxide emissions at a rate 44% greater than nature can regenerate and reabsorb, which has profound, far-reaching implications for ecosystems and all they support, as well as our own well-being and economic stability.
It is with this in mind that local residents established Llangattock Green Valleys (LGV) Community Interest Company in 2009, with the broad vision of creating a cleaner, greener, more sustainable future for its community, by reducing its ecological footprint and improving the local environment.
Today that vision is becoming a reality and we are well on the way to becoming a carbon negative community, committed to harnessing our natural local resources, and exploring ways that we can work together to create a richer way of life as well as providing spaces where nature can truly thrive.
LGV’s supporting community group, Llangattock Community Woodlands (LCW), and those partnered with them: Llangattock Allotments (LACAS), and Llangattock Litter Pickers (LLP), all actively contribute to these goals.
Charcoal making
Over the past five years volunteer litter pickers have dedicated 1600 hours of their time, walked 5000+ miles and collected 1,500 bags of litter (5000+kg) and over 380 tyres. The group covers an area of 70 miles and 75% of the litter collected is recycled and the scrap metal has been sold and used to purchase bee-friendly plants and containers to enhance the village environment.
LCW is working hard to improve the health of 5 small, local woodlands (around 50 acres) and use this natural resource for wood fuel, bee keeping and green woodcraft. Their woodland management skills are having a visible, positive impact, seen for example, when the fungi starts to sprout on the wood piles they put down the year before, and when the first robust new shoots appear after coppicing or clearing an overgrown dead area of woodland.
LGV’s six micro-hydro schemes are set to generate some 563MWh of renewable electricity a year – enough to power around 150 homes and displace around 266 tonnes of CO2 a year. Profits generated will be shared equally between share-holders and a special community fund that will be used to support further sustainable projects over the next 20 years. This will make a real and lasting difference to local people’s lives and the natural environment on which our wildlife depends.
LGV is now exploring a number of big solar (PV) roof mounted schemes with the potential of another co-op being launched. We hope to include local schools, agricultural barns, large commercial buildings, village halls, chapels and churches. Anyone with a large roof surface area, who would like to explore either doing it at the same time for themselves, and reducing their costs through the benefits of bulk buying, or leasing the roof to the co-operative with a deal on cheap electricity, please contact Andrew Fryer: andrew@wernwatkin.fsnet.co.uk.
www.llangattockgreenvalleys.org Twitter @LGVcic
