Beauty spot visitor centre closure concerns

Closing a beauty spot visitor centre would be a "wildlife disaster", according to a campaigner.

June Lincoln started an online petition which attracted thousands of supporters in days after hearing about a review into Ynyslas visitor centre near Borth, Ceredigion.

Its future and two others at Bwlch Nant yr Arian, near Ponterwyd, Ceredigion, and Coed y Brenin, near Dolgellau, Gwynedd, are being considered due to a funding shortage.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said its visitor centres were a much-loved resource but public funding was exceptionally tight, prompting the review.

Ms Lincoln said that staff at the centre were originally told Ynyslas would close at the end of December.

But, in a statement, NRW said all three would remain open while the review took place.

An announcement on how they will operate in the future is expected before the end of March.

Ynyslas visitor centre is on the Dyfi Estuary and part of a nature reserve.

It is famous for its sand dunes and provides a wetland habitat for birds and other wildlife.

The estuary also has huge areas of internationally important mudflats.

In recent years the ringed plover, a bird on the red list of endangered species, has started to nest at Ynyslas.

"Closing down the Ynyslas Visitor Centre will have far-reaching consequences beyond what we can see today - it will be nothing short of a wildlife disaster," said Ms Lincoln.

She teaches animal care at Coleg Ceredigion and takes students to Ynyslas as part of the course.

Ms Lincoln said she was most worried about the little plovers.

"They've only just come back for the last two years and if people can get in there, we'll lose them.

"My message is we've got three months, let’s make sure that everybody knows. We will petition the Senedd," she said.

According to a report for tourism organisation Visit Wales, Nant yr Arian had more than 111,000 visitors in 2021, Coed y Brenin had almost 114,000 and Ynyslas visitor centre had 132,691 visitors.

Cian Evans and Oscar Davies, regular users of the mountain bike trails at Nant yr Arian, said it would be a loss if the visitor centres closed.

Mr Davies said: "We got very wet and cold and it’s a nice place to have a coffee, warm up and have a chat."

Mr Evans added: "A lot of walkers come here as well and, as we went in there just now, it was pretty full - lots of people buying coffees and having a chat."

Elsie Grace, NRW's head of sustainable commercial development, said, over the coming months, it would be "drawing up options and recommendations for the future" for the board to consider by March.