Chapter 1(Preview)
The Dyfi coastline is in perpetual flux. It has changed and adapted over millennia, and people and communities have adapted along with it.
To thrive in the years to come, we believe that we must continue to adapt – and we have a better chance of succeeding if we work together to achieve that.
The Dyfi is an internationally significant site and sits within the Pen Llŷn a’r Sarnau Special Area of Conservation (PLAS SAC). It’s also a marine protected area and a designated UNESCO biosphere. The Dyfi Estuary is part of a national nature reserve which incorporates Cors Fochno, Ynyslas sand dunes, the RSPB Ynys-Hir Nature Reserve and the Dyfi Osprey Project.
A collaborative effort to build
Between 2020 and 2022, Tir Canol – a partnership of people and organisations working to create positive environmental and social outcomes – met with local residents and organisations across the Dyfi with a shared, deep desire to engage positively in addressing the challenges the future holds.
The ambition is to think globally but make an impact locally, embrace the ideas and experiences of others, and build on the practical assets at our fingertips.
Enabling ourselves and our community
With the support of Tir Canol, our core co-production group was formed. We’re made up of residents from across the Dyfi Estuary with diverse perspectives and lived experiences, ranging from farmers and researchers to marketers and artists. We think it’s important to place people at the centre of our thinking and action planning.
We’re on a journey to educate ourselves and others within our community on the possible futures of our beloved coastline in the face of rising sea levels and . This handbook – the first of its kind created using a coproduction approach – outlines the context and scope of our work, exploring the history and geography of the Dyfi coast, its habitats and species, and why it’s so unique. It also includes information on the policies, plans and modelling of the coast, and gives voice to some of the people who live and work here.
Changing Tides is a collaboration within our communities, giving local people control and ownership of their own priorities. It’s about sharing mutually identified practices and knowledge with pride to improve our area for nature, for ourselves, for our visitors and customers, and for future generations.
