£2.3m grant to revive woodland - graduate jobs

Graduates can look forward to new environmental jobs at a historic Welsh woodland which is to be restored with the help of a £2.3 million lottery grant.

Campaigners fighting to save the Penllergare Valley Woods in Swansea for more than a decade are celebrating after the new allocation from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The Penllergare Trust says it will use the cash for a series of projects to revive the woodland's various attractions and develop it into a popular tourist spot.

New jobs including that of Estate Manager, Woodlands Warden and Activities and Events Officer are among those expected to be created by the scheme.

Developed by a 19th century nobleman, the Penllergare Valley Woods was a well-known gentry estate in its heyday.

It fell into neglect during the latter part of the 20th century and was threatened by vandalism and over-development, supporters said.

The woodland has an observatory and an old stone bridge which will be restored under the scheme.

Trees and ornamental shrubs will be planted and the upper lake developed, while a sustainable "micro hydro-power plant" will be built to supply the energy needs.

Copyright Press Association 2011