Nature Recovery Conference Wales 2024 • Folly Farm

The Nature Recovery Conference Wales will highlight remarkable contributions to conservation.

On 14-15 September 2024, Folly Farm will co-host a Nature Recovery Conference with The Bug Farm, St Davids. Nature Recovery Conference Wales will be an opportunity for conservationists across the country to come together, highlighting remarkable contributions to conservation from a variety of individuals, NGOs, zoos, and charities.

Conference Aims and Objectives

Britain is one of the most nature depleted countries in Europe and it’s widely accepted a critical juncture has been reached on the state of our natural environment. In Wales alone, the 2023 State of Nature Report found that of 3,897 species, 18% are threatened with extinction. Since 1994, the abundance of land and freshwater species has fallen on average fallen by 20% across Wales.

The challenges around the nature emergency cannot be solved in isolation, they require an integrated response. National and local conservationists are invited to gather on 14-15 September 2024 to present and discuss a range of initiatives to reverse the decline of nature in Wales at a conference hosted by Folly Farm, a zoo and rare-breed farm attraction in Pembrokeshire. The conference will explore the collaborative action needed to help nature recover.

The main aims are to:

Highlight some key nature recovery projects occurring across Wales and the UK.
Offer a professional networking opportunity to share ideas, stimulate communication and encourage partnership opportunities.
Understand the different approaches that organisations undertake a conservation project and how these different approaches might be helpful to other projects.
Highlight the work of zoological collections across the UK and discover how time, expertise, and funding can aid native species recovery programmes.

This two-day meeting will represent a diverse range of interest groups including conservation charities, zoological organisations, community renaturing groups, conservation and reintroduction specialists, wildlife groups, landowners, eco-tourism centres, higher colleges, universities, and government bodies working with the environment. The conference will also be of huge benefit to conservation students and educators to demonstrate the work that is being done across the country.

There will be presentations from a wide range of speakers exploring how to recover threatened and iconic animal and plant species through species reintroduction, community engagement and citizen science, providing more habitat and wildlife corridors. There will be opportunities to visit local renaturing initiatives and the second day of the conference will include an exclusive tour of The Bug Farm, in St Davids, an innovative and unique research and visitor centre, 100-acre farm, and nature reserve.

Most importantly the conference will act as a catalyst for the creation of new project ideas. Nature restoration cannot be tackled single handed – alone we are strong, together we are stronger.

Conference steering committee members

The conference steering committee is made up of conservationists from across Wales and the UK. They have been working hard to create a conference that will help to inspire collaborative action in the face of a nature emergency.

Jack Gradidge, Conservation Officer, Folly Farm
Sarah Beynon, Founding Director, Dr Beynon’s Bug Farm
Lucy Groves, UK Programmes Manager, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust
Professor Carl Jones MBE, Chief Scientist, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust
Laura Gardner, Director of Conservation, Wildwood Trust
Kevin Caley, Ecologist, Caley Consulants, Llanteg and Amroth Renaturing Community
Tom Bailey, Origin Vets, Llanteg and Amroth Renaturing Community

Accommodation

Folly Farm is located on the edge of the village known as Begelly. The area is a hit with tourists, so we are fortunate to have a range of different accommodation options close by.

Folly Farm Holiday Park

We have a range of accommodation options at the on-site holiday park. Some of our accommodation options are great for sharing with other delegates.

Touring caravan – if you’d like to bring your own caravan, we have super-sized, hardstanding 12m x 10m pitches with electric hook up. Modern toilet and shower block.

Camping – Bring a tent and pitch up on our campsite with stunning views of the Pembrokeshire countryside.

Showman’s Wagons – Slightly bigger than a shepherd’s hut, these beautiful wagons have two bedrooms, sleeping two adults and two young children.

Fairground lodges – These fairground themed lodges have three bedrooms, sleeping up to six people (one double room and two twin rooms). These include a decked area with a hot tub. Great for sharing with other friends attending the conference.

Simba Lodges – Our lion themed lodges have 3 bedrooms, sleeping up to 5 adults. One double room, one single room (with additional children’s bunkbeds) and one twin room. This lodge includes a decked area with a hot tub.

Kifaru Lodges – These rhino themed lodges sleep up to 6 adults and have one double room and two twin rooms. Bifold doors open out onto a private decked area with hot tub and views into the black rhino enclosure.

Other accommodation close to Folly Farm

Begelly Breaks: https://begellybreaks.co.uk/

The Manian: https://www.the-manian.co.uk/

Begelly Arms: https://www.begellyarms.co.uk/

The Buttles Holiday Park: https://thebuttlescaravanpark.com/

Langdon Farm Guesthouse: http://www.stayinpembrokeshire.co.uk/

Green Sheep Camping (eco-campsite and Airbnb options): https://www.greensheepcamping.co.uk/

Nearby Saundersfoot and Tenby also offer superb accommodation options on the coast.