The National Trust is the largest conservation charity in Europe and is completely independent of Government. We rely on support from membership fees, donations and legacies, and revenue raised from our commercial operations to fund the work that we do throughout the Trust. We protect and open to the public over 300 historic houses and gardens and 49 industrial monuments and mills.

But it doesn't stop there. We also look after forests, woods, fens, beaches, farmland, downs, moorland, islands, archaeological remains, castles, nature reserves, and villages - for ever, for everyone.

The National Trust owns and manages 2268 Hectares (5604 acres) of countryside and coast in Carmarthenshire. This includes Dinefwr Park and Castle, Dolaucothi Goldmines and Estate, Paxtons Tower, Cwmdu, Aberdeunant, Tregoning Hill, Wharley Point, Mwche Pentowyn and Ragwen Point

The Dinefwr Project

Dinefwr Park and Castle has several important designations, SSSI, SAC, SAM and we have recently been awarded NNR status – the only parkland to be designated in Wales.

Over the past 3 years Dinefwr Park and Castle has gone through a restoration. The extensive estate has been buffed and polished back to its 18^th century former glory. This has incorporated habitat management. Some of the Trusts work has included removing commercial softwood plantings that have been re populated with native broad leaved trees; former intensively managed grassland has now been returned to a more traditional grassland management.

Dolaucothi Estate

Dolaucothi is renowned for its gold mines but the estate as a whole is 2500 acres comprising 9 tenants farms, 24 cottages and extensive commercial forestry plantings. There are two SSSI designations situated around the gold mine area with 11 species of bat recorded on the site. We are currently involved with the Better Woodlands for Wales scheme which will see the in hand commercial forestry plantings returned to native broadleaf woodland.

Aberdeunant

Aberdeunant is a good example of a traditional welsh hill farm. The farmhouse itself is a welsh long house which has been truncated. In conjunction with the RSPB, the Trust have returned hedgerows to traditional management, put in seasonal scrapes for species such as snipe and lapwings. We have installed tree sparrow boxes and will be monitoring numbers.