Wildlife Art Competition

The Natur Cymru wildlife art competition is under way - entries needed by 30th April. Full details are on our website and can be found here.

Traditional notice boards are a good way of alerting people to the opportunity so if you have the time and opportunity there is an A4 poster which can be downloaded here or by clicking on the image.

Sponsors of the prizes are:

• WWF Cymru
• Snowdonia National Park
• Wildlife Trusts Wales
• Ken Bromley Art Supplies

The Hawk Moth Cometh

In my garden this weekend I found this beautiful, four eyed, green caterpillar and I think it’s an elephant hawk moth. Which reminds me that there’s a great article on its way.  

This year’s winning entry of the Natur Cymru Inspired by Nature writing competition is titled The Hawk Moth Effect, by Chris Kinsey from Newtown. At the Wales Literature Festival she was presented with a cheque for £500, sponsored by WWF Cymru, and the article will be published in the autumn edition of Natur Cymru, due out mid September.

And that’s not all .... Chris will read out her article before the William Condry Lecture at The Tabernacle, Machynlleth, on Thursday evening (7pm) 4^th October. Full details of the event are about to be published at www.thecondrylecture.co.uk

Inspired by Nature prize giving at Dinefwr

Chris Kinsey was presented with a £500 cheque from WWF Cymru as the winner of the 2012 Inspired by Nature competition.  Gillian Clarke, both judge and presenter, said of The Hawk Moth Effect, the winning entry: ‘.... it wasn’t pretty or decorated, it was exciting, the prose ran, it had muscle, it had information, it had a story ....’ You can hear Gillian’s words in her own voice in this short film: 

In second place was John Harold with an article titled How I fell in love with the frog lady. His prize was a £500 voucher for the residential nature writing course at Tŷ Newydd. The first two articles will be published in the autumn edition of Natur Cymru.

Left to right: Liz, Chris, Gillian & Eloise 

The other prize winners were Eloise Williams who won an overnight trip for two to Skomer Island (sponsored by The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales) with an article titled I carry your heart with me. In fourth place was Liz Fleming-Williams who won a dolphin survey boat trip for two (sponsored by Dolphin Survey Boat Trips) for her article Snow on a Raven’s Wing. In fifth place was Rob Collister who won a meal for two at the Glasshouse Café in the Wildlife Centre at Cilgerran (sponsored by The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales) for his article In my backyard.

Ann Meikle, head of WWF Cymru, was unable to attend but sent this message of support:  ‘one of WWF's objectives is to inspire people to care for nature. At the same time, as more and more people around the world live in cities, it is important to use all media, particularly arts and literature to bring the joy and wonder of nature to people who may not experience it themselves. It is in that context that we are always pleased to sponsor this prize’.

David Parker, Chief Scientist for the Countryside Council for Wales and Chairman of Natur Cymru, said:  ‘Natur Cymru is an independent magazine of record about the wildlife and nature of Wales linked to the way we manage the countryside and to people, both local communities and the many visitors to Wales. A distinctive feature is the use of original art for the front covers. I would like to thank all the sponsors of the competition. I would also like to thank The National Trust, Literature Wales and Coracle for making us so welcome at Dinefwr Park and the first Literature Festival for Wales.’

A final thank you and welcome to all the people who became subscribers to Natur Cymru at the event. I hope you enjoy your quarterly read about what makes the nature of Wales so special. Final, final thank you to the BBC for laying on such environmentally friendly travel ...

Taking time out to travel to Dinefwr