Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
40 years or so, are gradually being replaced by payments designed to improve the environment and farm-
ers are no longer paid according to the number of animals they have. Traditional farming practices must
be kept in place, but farming is no longer an attractive occupation for many young people and the aver-
age age of farmers is high. Very few people from outside Gower have come to farm, although whenever
landhasbeensold,mainly duetopeople retiring, ithasbeenboughtbyneighboursandamalgamated into
larger holdings, but thankfully still retaining the family farm structure. In general the older farmers have
kept their farmhouses and sold off their land to their neighbours.
THE DIVERSITY
These then are the factors that have moulded the Gower of today. Despite first appearances it is clear that
virtually the entire peninsula has been affected by the activities of people over the millennia. Very few
areas have remained pristine and unaffected and yet wildlife has adapted to the changes and, indeed, has
often thrived on the diverse habitats produced as a result. The next section looks at this inheritance in
more detail.
