I am just back from Scotland and it is great to get back home. The Greenock Cut has now been fully restored and it was a pleasure to meet up with many old friends and colleagues in Scotland last Friday. Well done to everyone involved. I know that many more people will now be able to enjoy and learn about this fantastic engineering project. For more information click here.

Catching up with friends and colleagues is a really important and a great way to keep in touch. Thank you all for your hospitality, it was great fun. So now it is back to getting my business focused and organise a range of workshops on environmental management. Hopefully, by sharing the many opportunities that environmental management brings many more businesses can benefit.

Our barn bookings are going great. We are really pleased about how popular it has become, ther are no weeks left apart from the second Easter week and one in June until September. Autumn is one of the best times to visit so if anyone wants more information check out our website.
It is graded as a five star self catering accomodation, lying within the heart of the Brecon Beacons and the Geopark. It can accomodate 4 people in a double and twin bedrooms.A feature of the barn is the oak flooring and the magnicient oak spiral staircase. More detailed information and how to contact us is on our website and you can now find us on Facebook as Madog Barn. become a fan and keep up to date with what is happening.
Enjoy the rest of Spring and I hope that you all have a great Easter. If you would like to contact me for help and advice on tourism, coutryside/conservation management and environmental management systems e-mail me or give me a phone on 01874 638 979

Happy Easter

They who shout the loudest

Despite being bombarded by news feeds from the press and media, there is always a danger that we only listen to one source of information or viewpoint. Often because people either choose to go with the story they want to believe or the one that is getting the greatest coverage. Over the last few months on the environmental front, our attention has been on the reduction of CO₂ and the trials and tribulations of Copenhagen and its aftermath. Much has been made of the impacts of CO2 and its contribution to global warming. But there are other Green House Gases (GHG). The different Green House Gases are not all equal; 23Kg of CO2 _is equivalent to about 1 Kg of Methane (CH₄). In other words, for every gram of Methane produced its GHG impact will be the equivalent of 23 grams of CO_2.  What is really scary is that since the pre-industrial times (from 1750 onwards) there has been a 67% increase in Methane to 1.77 ppm.  The corresponding increase in CO2 is 38% to 387 ppm. BUT Methane absorbs up to 30 times more infrared radiation than CO2 and with its shorted lifespan therefore has a greater potency. So potentially tackling methane emissions could make a significant impact on climate change.

In a recent report in the Ecologist, it is claimed that by reducing our Methane output, we could make a significant impact on reducing global warming. Research is already underway on cow and sheep diets, the reduction of gases from landfill sites and better hydrological management of rice paddy fields. Wouldn’t it be good to see governments, including the UK, putting more resources into these areas and in particular providing financial support to farmers to make this happen!

Finally like millions of others I was captivated by the Winter Olympics. Often the favourite didn’t find the form on the day so someone else won the event, what excitement. Well done to everyone who competed. How envious I was of those people who were able to get to Whistler to spectate and what I would do to have a go at the Ski Cross. Skiing will never be the same again. Canada has done well to mount this spectacular international event. It certainly is now on our must visit list.

Chris Gledhill