Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
FIG
171.
Bob Burn, Gower Field Education Project Officer, and visiting school group in 1985. (Countryside Council
for Wales)
Despite all this activity there is very little evidence of lasting damage to any of the major habitats
which can be ascribed to organised educational activity groups; especially when such activities are com-
pared with general tourist activity or with commercial bait picking, crabbing, fishing, leisure sport climb-
ing with bolts, scrambler bikes and four-wheel-drive vehicles. Since 1994, however, the cliffs and coastal
inshore waters have seen an increase in the number of youth groups carrying out organised adventure and
leisure activities, and this may have more serious impacts upon the area.
COUNTRYSIDE MANAGEMENT
An
AONB
Warden, the 'Gower Warden' so fondly remembered by older people, was appointed by the
Gower Rural District Council in 1961 to implement small-scale projects and patrol the area, but, as
described above, there was no strategic plan for Gower at this stage. The first Warden, Mr Guy, died
after only a year and was succeeded in 1962 by Douglas Evans, a former water bailiff from the Brecon
Beacons.AccordingtoaGowerSocietyreportofthetimeEvanswas'anenergetic,forthrightbulldogofa
man, dedicated to the countryside, who manages to remain undaunted in his unenviable position between
officialdom and the public'. One of his achievements was the creation of the volunteer group known as
the 'Gower Crusaders'. The group carried out practical conservation works, including litter picks, set up
picnicsitesatstrategic pointsforvisitorsandhelpedotherconservationorganisationsinundertakingcon-
servationtasks.Onesuchactivity wastheplantingofmarramgrassatOxwichaspartofthemeasuresun-
dertaken to counteract the effects of thousands of visitors on the dunes. The post unfortunately lapsed on
his retirement in the early 1970s and much of the early momentum was lost. There is a memorial plaque
to Evans on a cairn at the picnic site and viewpoint on the south side of Cefn Bryn overlooking Penmaen.
