The management of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB 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 AONB 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 AONB. It is supported by an Officer’s Working Group of relevant officers from the constituent Local Authorities, Natural Resources Wales and the AONB Partnership.

The AONB Partnership
The AONB Partnership reports to and advises the Joint Committee in the development and delivery of the AONB Management Plan. It was established to ensure a wide range of interests are represented in planning and delivering the work of the AONB. There are 25 members representing the urban and rural communities which make up the AONB, three local authority members from each of the partner authorities, landowners, recreation, access and other special interests such as biodiversity and the historic environment.

Five Working Groups have been established to help focus the work of the Partnership in steering the delivery of the AONB 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 AONB, including:

Denbighshire County Council

Flintshire County Council

Wrexham County Borough Council

Natural Resources Wales

Welsh Government

CADW

Cadwyn Clwyd

Canals and Rivers Trust

National Trust

North Wales Wildlife Trust

Public Health Wales

Natural Resources Wales

A vital link between the AONB 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 Moel Findeg

This is just one example of our work with local community groups. We help manage Moel Findeg Local Nature Reserve with Friends of Moel Findeg and the Maeshafn and District Rural Association, not only through a steering group but also through practical and financial support.

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 AONB team to help current and future generations discover and enjoy the special features of the AONB. They now have over 200 members and support the AONB team with events and projects while also offering their own event programme and publishing a regular newsletter.

Volunteers

Many people from across the AONB, 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.