Fifty cats found living in an unsuitable environment - many of which were kept confined in cages - have been rescued by the RSPCA. Thirty-five cats were rescued in October 2023 and a further 15 were removed from the same Mountain Ash property in February 2024 - whose occupants had been previously banned from keeping cats by the courts. Many of them were kept and crammed in metal cages which were full of cat faeces and urine. Pauline Perry (d.o.b 24/01/1967) of High Street, Mountain Ash appeared at Merthyr Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 31 October for trial. She faced four offences under the Animal Welfare Act. She pleaded guilty to two offences and was found guilty of another two. One offence related to a breach of an animal ban, where Perry had been disqualified from keeping all four legged animals for a period of four years, imposed by Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court on 23 August 2023.  The other offences included causing unnecessary suffering to a black male cat by failing to provide proper and necessary veterinary care and attention for his lesions, failing to take such steps to ensure the needs of 35 cats were met and a final offence of failing to ensure the needs of 15 cats were met. (full wording below) At sentencing on 29 November Perry was handed a lifetime disqualification order for all animals. She was handed a 10-week custodial sentence which was suspended for 12 months. She was ordered to pay £1,000 costs and a victim surcharge of £154. There were also conditions given for her suspended sentence order which included to reside at her home address. The court heard from RSPCA Deputy Chief Inspector (DCI) Gemma Cooper who said she attended the Pentwyn Avenue property on 28 September after the RSPCA received reports that Perry and Thomas were still keeping multiple cats despite being disqualified.   There was no reply at the address so she posted a disqualification order leaflet and a form stating that we have received reports about them keeping cats and that she advised if they would like help with rehoming their cats to make contact. It was on 18 October DCI Cooper returned and met Cynon Taf Community Housing Group (CTCHG) Housing Officers and fellow RSPCA Inspector Neill Manley. “I walked into the back garden of Pentwyn Avenue and saw adult cats crammed in black metal cages which were full of cat faeces and urine,” she said. “Although there was an obvious attempt to hide these crates with blankets and branches, the cats were still being rained on and the blankets inside the crates were soaking wet.  “Both the crates and the cats smelt very strongly of cat urine, the smell was extremely strong, despite being outside.  “Some of the cats looked underweight, some had urine stains on their feet and legs and some were matted with what looked and smelt like cat faeces. It was obvious to me these cats have been kept in these conditions for a period of time and it hadn’t just happened. “Many of the cats were clearly distressed, they were crying and were jumping up at the side of the crates in an attempt to get out.” They were given permission to remove the cats and they were transferred from the cages into cat carriers.  The court heard that when they were inside to sign the paperwork, DCI Cooper heard a cat meow which came from the cupboard under the stairs. The court heard that ​i​t was known ​f​or cats to be kept in this cupboard previously and had been advised “time and time again” to not keep cats in cupboards or cages. “There was no light in the cupboard and it was small and dirty,” said DCI Cooper. “I opened the cupboard door and there was a ginger and white cat, standing on the shelf.”  On this occasion 35 cats were removed and taken to the RSPCA Merthyr Tydfil Veterinary Clinic to be assessed.  In a further witness statement from DCI Cooper she said she returned to the property on 9 February of this year with South Wales Police after receiving a call about further cats at the property.   DCI Cooper said: “As I entered the kitchen I saw crates and cat carriers full of cats. I could not believe my eyes.”  She added that not just because Perry had been disqualified from keeping cats but due to the “dirty conditions” they were being kept in.” Perry agreed to sign over the cats and they were removed and placed in RSPCA carriers. After removing these they asked if there were any more cats elsewhere and they were told no. However, two more cats were found in the cupboard under the stairs. “The police officer then shone his torch and found a black cat in the cupboard which I then caught and placed in a basket,” said DCI Cooper. He took another look and found another cat in the same cupboard - making the total of 15 cats. DCI Cooper said: “The majority of the cats were urine stained and had faecal matting in their coat.  “There were no litter trays provided apart from one which contained no substrate and was piled high with faeces and urine. None of the cats had access to water and they were all lying in their own faeces and urine.” These cats were then taken to RSPCA Merthyr Tydfil Veterinary Clinic to be assessed.  In an additional witness statement, DCI Cooper said she has been an Inspector since 2010 and has attended the Pentwyn Avenue property around 40-50 times and in over half of those occasions she had not had a reply at the address. On others she was able to give advice. One cat who was found with a tumour on his tail sadly was put to sleep on veterinary advice. The other cars required little vet treatment and just needed a good wash, flea and worm treatments and socialisation.  Following the case, DCI Cooper said: “The cats were so programmed to being kept in cages it took them a while to get used to having the space to walk around and play.  “However, once they got used to that and some socialisation, they came on leaps and bounds and we are very happy to have found them loving homes.” Give whatever you can and help give animals in need a second chance. How to contact our press offices in England and Wales. Our regularly updated blog is packed full of exclusive insights from our experts and frontline staff. © 2025. All rights reserved. The RSPCA helps animals in England and Wales. Registered charity no.219099. has announced the sale of the vacant care home Built around You.Your expert business property advisers comprises a 10-bedroom Victorian detached building located with a prominent frontage on the main road through the village of Mountain Ash in South Wales Following an open-marketing sales process with Oliver McCarthy at Christie & Co which resulted in multiple offers from care operators and investors the property has been purchased by an investor who plans to reconfigure the building for residential use Oliver McCarthy, Director – Care at Christie & Co, comments, “While appetite from buyers for trading care home businesses of different sizes throughout the country remains strong, there is still a lot of interest in closed care home properties. As reported in our Care Market Review 2024 12 per cent of our deals in the first half of this year involved closed care homes and 27 per cent of those – most of which were no longer fit-for-purpose - were sold to residential developers.” Maesteg House was sold for an undisclosed price Visit Christie & Co’s Business Search page to find out more about current listings. Keep up-to-date with our latest listings and more… © Christie & Co 2024 | A member of Christie Group A community is rallying together to renovate a house, with the profits going towards funding a new school playground. An estate agent in Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf, has teamed up with tradespeople and volunteers to renovate a home, to try and fund a new playground for pupils at nearby Caegarw Primary School. The Playground Project has come about after the school's playground equipment became too old to be used safely, and was taken away. The school estimates it will cost £50,000 to build a "safe and fun playground" for its 160 pupils. Acting headteacher Nicola Richards said: "The children were absolutely devastated, they were such big climbing frames, you could easily have about 20 children on there at a time." Chris Roberts, managing director of T Samuel Estate Agents, said: “We’ve been inundated in fairness, local businesses all wanting to help, asking how they can get involved. "We've had some big companies reach out, which was fantastic. "We're really excited to see it get off the ground and start rolling. ”It’s a great community here, the school is the heart of it and it’s fantastic that we can give back”. Once renovated and sold as a beautiful home, 100% of the purchased house profits are set to go to funding the primary school playground. Win HappyPremiumSearch Rayogreatest hitssouth walesnewsMan arrested after reports of malicious communications in Mountain AshNo-one was harmed A man's been arrested after reports of malicious communications in Rhondda Cynon Taf South Wales Police were called just before 9am this morning to a property on High Street No-one was harmed but police say road closures are in place while they investigate Chief Inspector Matthew Rowlands said: “We take communications such as this one extremely seriously and a 43-year-old man from Mountain Ash is currently in police custody having been arrested a very short time after the incident happened and an investigation is on-going however the road is currently closed in both directions between Graig Street and Pryce Street whilst officers continue to deal with the incident “There will be a number of officers remaining in the area to provide reassurance and support throughout the day whilst also assisting the investigation "Those affected by the police cordons are thanked for their cooperation whilst inquiries continue.” Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app. Company number 01176085; Bauer Radio Limited Company number: 1394141Registered office: Media House Peterborough PE2 6EA and H Bauer Publishing Company number: LP003328; Registered office: The Lantern London NW1 2PL All registered in England and Wales VAT no 918 5617 01H Bauer Publishing are authorised and regulated for credit broking by the FCA (Ref No: 845898) By NOTICEBOARD · 6 August 2024 and – according to Iolo Morganwg – the last of the ‘druidic bards’ of Wales He was a dissenting minister at the Old Meeting House (Yr Hen Dŷ Cwrdd) in Aberdare and one of those who handed on a radical tradition to the Chartists of the nineteenth century Edward’s poems – Afalau’r Awen – were printed four times in the century after his death and among the stories told of him was that he had preserved and passed on the manuscript of the oldest surviving poem in Welsh – the Gododdin of Aneirin The bard and his sons lived at Ton Coch farm They were tenants of the Dyffryn Estate and its owner It is highly appropriate that the Blue Plaque to commemorate Edward Evan is being unveiled during the week of the National Eisteddfod in Rhondda Cynon Tâf He was one of a group of older poets who introduced Iolo Morganwg to the rules of traditional strict-metre verse – and it was Iolo who combined that tradition with the (invented) Gorsedd ceremonies which remain a central part of the Eisteddfod today The Cynon Valley History Society is publishing a new book – In Search of the Last Bard by James Stewart – which explores the life and the lost society of pre-industrial Glamorgan reflected in his poems Prof Mary-Ann Constantine writes: "Poet and minister his long life spanned a period of intellectual and economic change whose impact would come into dizzying effect with the massive industrialization of the valleys in the following century." LoadingDaily Email Updates {{contentTitle}} Volume 5 - 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2022.878570 Old growth is a critical growth stage in many forest types globally It has many key ecological roles including biodiversity conservation carbon storage and the provision of services such as water production The extent of old growth forest has been declining in many ecosystems around the world with major ecological and ecosystem service consequences function and conservation of old growth forest can be gained from detailed cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of different age cohorts within a given forest ecosystem we outline key insights into the characteristics of using the Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans) forests of the Central Highlands of Victoria south-eastern Australia as a detailed case study These forests are dominated by the tallest flowering plants on earth and have been subject to several decades of intense study These studies show that old growth Mountain Ash forests are characterized by (among other features): giant trees (approaching 100 m tall and sometimes exceeding 20 m in circumference) an understorey of Acacia and rainforest trees a range of plant and animal species that are rare or absent in younger aged stands The area of old growth Mountain Ash forest has declined to 1.16% of the ∼141,000 ha area occupied by ash-type forests in the Central Highlands region This is up to 60 times less than it was at the time of European colonization ∼220 years ago The loss of old growth has major implications for bird as well as for carbon storage and water production for human consumption The main drivers of old growth decline are recurrent wildfire and a logging-fire interaction in which cut and then regenerated forests become more flammable and are at significantly elevated risk of burning at high (stand replacing) severity Climate change is also a driver of old growth decline both through elevating the mortality of large old living trees and underpinning an increase in the frequency of high severity wildfire These interacting drivers mean that restoring old growth Mountain Ash forest will be an ecological and policy challenge We argue that a first step must be to cease all commercial logging in the Mountain Ash ecosystem to allow new cohorts of old growth forest to be recruited and thereby expand the extent of the old growth estate the Government of Victoria should revert to a past definition of old growth that made it easier for forest to qualify for protection Given there are high risks of recurrent high-severity wildfire in the existing Mountain Ash forest estate which is dominated by highly flammable young regrowth forest new technologies (such as the use of drones and satellites) are needed to rapidly detect and then suppress ignitions before fires become large and difficult to control Mountain Ash forests have provided an important natural laboratory for understanding the dynamics management and conservation of old growth forest They have also helped generate some valuable general perspectives likely to be relevant to other forest ecosystems globally These include: (1) the critical value of multi-facetted cross-sectional and longitudinal studies in quantifying attributes of (2) the need for a carefully crafted definition of old growth that will typically be ecosystem-specific and based on the time required to develop key ecosystem attributes (e.g. (3) the importance of rigorous protection measures because poor decisions that result in the loss of old growth now will take prolonged periods to rectify and (4) setting protection levels that are relative to the existing spatial coverage of remaining old growth and the extent and impacts of stressors driving old growth decline we define old growth Mountain Ash forests as stands of overstorey eucalypts exceeding 120 years old We discuss how regimes of these natural and human disturbances can influence the age class structure of Mountain Ash forests including the spatial extent of old growth forests at stand and landscape scales We summarize ways in which this critically important growth stage can be better protected especially through the cessation of widespread clearcut (industrial) logging and the recruitment of existing areas of advanced regrowth that will be a key source of future stands of old growth forest we present some general lessons from the substantial body of work in Australian Mountain Ash forests that may help guide old growth conservation efforts in other forest ecosystems globally A stand of old growth Mountain Ash forest with an image of one of the authors (DL) highlighting the diameter and height of the trees The image shows site 470 – one of a network of long-term sites where fauna flora and vegetation structure have been studied for approximately four decades (Photo by Esther Beaton) Map of Central Highlands region with long-term field sites where data on biodiversity and vegetation structure have been gathered (as indicated by colored dots) Post-fire structural differences in forests that were at (A) old-growth and (B) young (<20 years) successional stages at the time of wildfire in 2009 Photo (B) was taken by the late David Blair] Clearcutting resets stand age to zero with the specified rotation age until the next logging operation being ∼80 years The identification of old growth forest is dependent on how it is defined (Burgman, 1996; van Pelt, 2007). The Victorian Government developed the following definition following the work by Woodgate et al. (1994): Old-growth forest is forest which contains significant amounts of its oldest growth stage – usually senescing trees – in the upper stratum and has been subject to any disturbance, the effect of which is now negligible (Department of Natural Resources and Environment, 1996 Structural differences between stands of different ages Differences in a selection of key structural attributes of stands of Mountain Ash forest of different ages in the Central Highlands of Victoria based on detailed field-based measurements Old growth stands correspond to Age class 1 on the x-axis and stand age relationships shown for: (A) the stocking rate of rainforest understorey (Nothofagus cunninghamii) (B) The probability of occurrence of rainforest (C) The presence of multi-aged forest (as a function of the number of age classes present) (E) The probability of collapse of hollow-bearing trees (F) The abundance of bark streamers hanging from lateral branches (I) The presence of the Yellow-bellied Glider Critical features of old growth Mountain Ash forest The protection of these forests is important for carbon storage in the current period of rapid global climatic change and predicted increases in wildfires (and subsequent carbon emissions) A suite of studies have also demonstrated that old growth Mountain Ash forests are characterized by significantly greater water yields than younger forests (Vertessy et al., 2001). The age of forests in water catchments therefore has major implications for water yields for human consumption (Vertessy et al., 2001; Taylor et al., 2019) This is ∼ 60 times more old growth than currently exists Figure 6. Non-linear relationship between stand age and the probability of canopy fire or crown burn. The probability of crown burn peaks at ∼40 years before declining as stands approach 80–100 years old. Redrawn from data in Taylor et al. (2014) The solid line corresponds to mean respond and the dashed line represented the lower and upper bounds of the 95% confidence interval The location of a given tree would act as the centroid of such buffers this may entail not logging or otherwise disturbing areas (e.g. by semi-clearing them for so-called fire breaks) with a well developed cool temperate rainforest understorey where mesic conditions can sometimes limit fire spread in the landscape This highlights the importance of landscapes supporting substantial areas of old growth forest in the event of future disturbances such as wildfires resource managers and policy makers need to very carefully consider the definitions they construct for old growth forest and ensure that they align with the key objectives of conservation and management efforts Finally, many forest types globally are experiencing declines in old growth forest (McDowell et al., 2020), not unlike what has been described in this paper for Mountain Ash forest. As old-growth forests require considerable time periods to develop (sometimes up to 1,000 years; see van Pelt, 2007) poor decisions on their protection taken now will have negative implications for decades and even centuries to come This highlights a need not only to be very conservative about the definition of old growth forest but also to plan well ahead for new cohorts of old growth forest to replace existing areas if and/or when they are lost this will demand reducing the number of stressors in a landscape that can lead to the loss of old growth particularly those stressors over which we have direct control such as logging operations levels of protection will need to be shaped by the spatial extent of old growth in a given ecosystem and the prevalence of stressors driving decline Stronger conservation measures will be appropriate in landscapes and ecosystems where old growth forest is rare and stressors are pervasive and widespread this may include the application of new technologies (e.g. drones and satellites) that rapidly detect and then suppress fire in patches of old-growth (or stands approaching these ages) at high-risk of being destroyed new policies to boost forest protection are urgently required particularly the removal of large-scale industrial logging Such policies are critical to restore the array of ecological and ecosystem service values of old growth Mountain Ash forest management and conservation of old growth forest as well as generating some valuable general perspectives relevant to other forest ecosystems globally These include: (1) the critical value of cross-sectional investigations and long-term (2) the need for a carefully crafted definition of old growth that will typically be ecosystem-specific (3) the importance of rigorous protection measures as poor decisions that result in the loss of old growth will take prolonged periods of forest recovery to rectify and (4) setting protection levels relative to the existing spatial coverage of remaining old growth and the extent and impacts of stressors driving old growth decline The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/supplementary material further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author/s All authors listed have made a substantial The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher We thank Lachlan McBurney and the late Dave Blair for their outstanding field work in gathering some of the key datasets which underpin this manuscript Tabitha Boyer provided expert editorial assistance in manuscript preparation 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This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: David Lindenmayer, RGF2aWQuTGluZGVubWF5ZXJAYW51LmVkdS5hdQ== Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish A brand new primary care centre will open its doors in Mountain Ash next week bringing modern healthcare services to the local community will become home to the newly merged GP practice Meddygfa Glan Cynon Surgery (formerly Cynon Vale Medical Centre and Rhos House Surgery) delivering GP services to over 11,000 patients in the area A number of community services will also be based at the building including the district nursing and health visitor teams The 1,373 square meter site will provide state-of-the-art space for the GP practice which will enable a greater range of services to be delivered to patients within a community setting said: “We are overjoyed that the development of Tŷ Calon Lān is now at the stage of completion despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic The new building will provide purpose built modern facilities which will allow us to expand our existing services and provide high quality care to the population of the area “We will also be able to maximise out multidisciplinary undergraduate and postgraduate teaching thus ensuring future sustainability for Primary Care Services within the heart of Mountain Ash We would like to sincerely thank Apollo and Jehu Project Services for their commitment and hard work during this development and to CTM University Health Board and RCT Council for their ongoing support” As well as community led clinics such as wound care the facilities will also provide a health education room for baby massage and breast feeding clinic and space for enhanced health and wellbeing services Chief Executive Officer at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board added: “We’re delighted to open the new primary care centre in Mountain Ash an excellent facility which will bring together multi-disciplinary teams to support patients “The needs of the local area have been carefully considered in the planning of the new facility allowing us to continue to provide the best possible health care to patients now and in the future.” the centre has been completed on schedule by the contractors Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council and Councillor for Mountain Ash West said: I am delighted to see this new Primary & Community Care Centre in Mountain Ash come to fruition “This facility will bring together GP surgery services and community health services in a modern state-of-the-art facility thanks to over £4M of investment and many years of campaigning on behalf of local residents in the catchment area. Residents of Mountain Ash and the surrounding area in Lower Cynon Valley will now have access to a centre which will meet all their medical needs “The Council has worked closely with the Welsh Government the developers and the local GPs to support this much-needed facility to come to fruition which will benefit 11,000 residents and support the well-being of future generations “The Council will continue to work with colleagues in Cwm Taf Morgannwg to support the creation of an integrated centre for GPs and community health services in Llanharan and also review options with the health board of a possible site for the Rhondda Fach to also have new health care facilities.” Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board secured funding for the project which was approved by the Welsh Government in 2017 The project was delivered by Developer Apollo Capital Projects The surgery will open to patients next Monday Cookies are small text files saved on your phone tablet or computer when you visit a website These cookies enable core functionality such as page navigation and access to secure areas The website cannot function properly without these cookies and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences Consent for some third party cookies can not be automatically revoked Please follow the link below if you want to opt out of them We may use third party tools such as Google Analytics and similar to help us anonymously measure how you use our websites This allows us to make improvements based on our users\' needs These tools set cookies that store anonymised information about how you got to the site University of Tasmania provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU View all partners Giant old trees are survivors. But their size and age do not protect them against everything. They face threats such as logging or intensifying drought and fire as the climate changes Tasmania has long been home to plants ancient and giant. One rare shrub, King’s lomatia (Lomatia tasmanica), has been cloning itself for at least 43,000 years But in recent years, even some giants have succumbed. The devastating 2019 fires in southern Tasmania killed at least 17 of the largest trees That included the largest blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) ever measured In southern Tasmania’s Valley of the Giants (Styx Valley) there is a mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans) named Centurion now over 100m tall Centurion is a leading candidate for the tallest flowering plant on Earth and the tallest tree in the Southern Hemisphere (California’s coastal redwood ‘Hyperion’ reaches 116 metres For years, I have been drawn to Centurion as a botanical science landmark. I have climbed it, measured it, and observed it carefully. But after the 2019 fires, my colleagues and I realised the urgency of preserving physical genetic samples before the chance was lost forever. During the 2019 fires, Centurion itself narrowly escaped death. It was saved only by the efforts of firefighters Our recent research sequencing a high-resolution genome of Centurion turned up an intriguing finding – this giant shows greater genetic diversity than we had expected which may boost the adaptability of the species Finding and preserving samples of Australia’s other remaining giants will help scientists learn from these remarkable trees Giant trees are found only in a few locations in Australia such as Victoria’s Central Highlands (mountain ash) and Western Australia’s southwest forests (red tingle These regions tend to have higher rainfall and less frequent fires But it is also at least three centuries old It was found in 2008, when forestry workers analysing aerial laser scanning data identified the tree as a 99.76 m tall giant In 2018, I measured its height using laser ground measurement The living top of the tree had grown to more than 100m in height I saw the uppermost branches had actually sprouted from the side of a snapped upper stem about 90m tall This suggests the tree could have once been significantly taller Branches resprouting from the lower trunk suggest the tree is taking advantage of a change in light conditions after neighbouring trees died The resprouting abilities of Eucalyptus species mean these trees can better recover after fire – and outcompete less resilient species such as rainforest plants I had planned to collect leaf samples from Centurion for deeper study alongside geneticists from two universities Large tracts of southern Tasmania burned over that summer After the fires burned out, we were able to collect samples from Centurion and began analysing its genetic code in the lab. My colleagues and I have now posted its genome to an open-access public server for wider use We used cutting-edge methods to create one of the best genetic fingerprints of a forest tree so far It’s the first time we have documented an individual Eucalyptus including genetic contributions from both parent plants across the full length of the chromosomes This totals nearly a billion DNA base pairs – individual “bits” of genetic information Centurion’s genome showed us the tree’s parents had each bequeathed it very different genetic sequences This combination may have contributed to its extreme growth The genome reveals a surprising amount of genetic variation In Centurion’s DNA lie new genetic sequences These variations suggest mountain ash trees have high adaptability Not all trees are like this – some have very little genetic variation Trees bred for agriculture or forestry tend to have low genetic diversity After the 2019 fires turned some of Australia’s largest trees to ash my colleagues and I realised the moment was urgent If we didn’t preserve the genes of these trees The Tasmanian Herbarium now hosts our project to curate and store samples through the Giant Eucalyptus Specimen Archive project. We have sampled several of the largest remaining giants in the Styx Valley, lodging samples with the Herbarium and genomic researchers at the Australian National University Mountain ash like cool, wet mountains. But as the world warms, drought and fire become more common Recent Tasmanian bushfires have burned traditionally cooler where rare species such as pencil pines and King Billy Pines grow Conserving old growth forests and their giants in national parks or World Heritage listing can only go so far in the face of these threats. This year, we have seen widespread browning and dying among eucalypts Preserving leaf and flower specimens costs a fraction of what it takes to keep living plants or store frozen seeds Future scientists may find these giant trees have some genetic talent for survival Preserving their genes could help the species survive We may well need long-term preservation of specimens in Herbariums which preserve plant material for decades or even centuries seedbanks and laboratories can also archive specimens from significant individual plants If the genetic stories of Earth’s ancient and giant trees are to be read in the future we must take the time to record them and keep them safe Acknowledgements: Thank you to the Borevitz Lab (ANU) the Eucalypt Genetics Group (UTAS) and the Jayne Wilson Bequest from the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery This article is in memory of Tasmanian ecologist Dr Jamie Kirkpatrick (1946-2024) The Minor Injuries Unit at YCC will open on Monday The opening times are Monday – Friday We do not provide a dressing change or suture removal service One small useful tree you may have growing on your farm is the hardy rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) or 'mountain ash' Its leaves look like the much bigger Ash tree but this tree is much smaller and can survive well on high ground and damp poor soil Agri-Environment Adviser at the College of Agriculture Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) said: "The Latin name Sorbus means 'red some sources suggest the Rowan tree in Irish is associated with a description meaning 'delightful to the eye' delicate flowers in spring and heavy clusters of orange berries at this time of year make this very plausible and an appropriate description "Mature trees can grow to 15m in height and can live for up to 200 years but most will live for much shorter periods leaf buds are purple and hairy and the large flower clusters Broad leafed tree flowers are often not particularly obvious but they are always present and often of great help in feeding early insects "The flowers of the rowan open early in May – providing nectar for insects before many other sources become available and the tree is a food source for a range of insects including leaf borers “At this time of year the trees are bearing their ripe or ripening fruit The native rowan bears heavy clusters of orange berries Many cultivated non-native forms are grown for ornamental use These have a range of coloured berries (white red and yellow) that are generally ignored by birds whereas they will feast on the native rowans berries Trees are usually stripped very quickly – a sure sign of their nutritional value A mistle thrush will even defend a rowan tree (or holly) as its territory Humans can use them too - the native rowan’s berries are rich in Vitamin C and can be made into a jelly to accompany meat As a member of the Rosaceae family Rowan is susceptible to a number of diseases such as Fireblight European mountain ash ringspot-associated virus These can be introduced through wounds in the bark Social distancing from a flail hedge cutter is recommended Henry Shaw added: "The rowan is a beautiful and versatile tree that will grow most places and it is excellent for wildlife Its compact form makes it a great tree to have on your farm It is big enough to grow in hedges and its natural beauty will be sure to enhance the view wherever you plant them "You can grow rowans from seed – but it takes quite a while as you need to break the seeds natural dormancy If you plan to grow them gather the berries early – just as they are beginning to colour as germination inhibitors are present in the red pigment You can macerate the seeds -crush and strip the soft flesh of the berry- and remove the pulp then plant the good seed that collects at the bottom Alternatively you can plant them whole but they require 18 months 'stratification' – over-wintering twice but this method will give the most even germination." Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board’s Parkinsons Disease Nurse Specialist Service is expanding to provide clinics in the Rhondda Merthyr and Mountain Ash in a drive to bring their support closer to patients’ homes The service comprises a team of specialist nurses who support patients who have been diagnosed with various forms of ‘parkinsonism’ including Parkinson’s Disease and Lewy body dementia The nurses assess and follow up with patients who have been referred by GPs consultants and other involved care professionals They provide patients and their families and carers with advice and support and refer patients to other healthcare professionals for further support patients used to attend a clinic held weekly at Ysbyty Dewi Sant in Pontypridd a telephone welfare service was established While this was valued by patients and their carers they are now gradually returning to clinics and the health board has added a second weekly clinic at Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda in Llwynypia so that people can be seen face-to-face more quickly the health board is planning to introduce monthly clinics at both Keir Hardie Park in Merthyr Tydfil and Ysbyty Cwm Cynon in Mountain Ash before the end of this year The team had been planning to bring services closer to patients and their carers before the pandemic “Our patients and their carers really did appreciate the calls particularly during the strictest restrictions,” she says “They are really pleased now to be able to receive home visits and come back to the clinics to see us face-to-face We’re still restricting numbers and spacing to keep everyone safe and we also want to offer services closer to people’s homes So we’ve already opened our second weekly clinic at Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda and we’re looking forward to opening monthly clinics in Merthyr and Mountain Ash before the end of this year.” with water pouring from the ceiling and flooding its dining room opened up on Saturday morning to the sound of rushing water "It's a total mess," he said "My partner could hear running water and thought it must be the dishwasher or something." Welsh Water said there had been a number of leaks due a "rapid thaw" Freezing temperatures were expected to make way for prolonged rain from Sunday evening across parts of Wales, according a Met Office weather warning. Mr McGill said: "The suspended roof has gone, the air conditioning, the furniture, the carpets, the walls, skirting boards. "Everything has been annihilated by water." He said he called out a plumber who found three bursts in a cold water pipe running above the suspended ceiling and another in a hot water pipe. Mr McGill said he had managed to keep the pub open by using other rooms for Sunday lunches but feared the restaurant could be out of action for a while. "It's going to be a month or two before we can get the room back," he said. Mr McGill, who took over the pub in Rhondda Cynon Taf with his partner four months ago, said he hoped to be able to continue to operate over the busy festive period while repairs were being carried out. "We had great support from people," he added. Welsh Water said it was aware of burst pipes across its network due to a "rapid thaw" following prolonged freezing temperatures. It said the thaw had led to ground movement which had caused a large number of leaks "across our network and on our customers' properties". "But, so far, the majority of calls has been from customers with frozen supply pipes," it added. Roger and Anthea Cawdron call time at the Ribs of Beef as "community hotspot" is sold to pub chain. Hazel Smith says Upton-on-Severn's festivals led to them starting one of the smallest local pubs. Ask for Angela is being extended in Northamptonshire to help more people feel safe on nights out. The singer can drown his Ipswich Town sorrows after taking over a pub for a fortnight. A County Tyrone family launched legal proceedings over a Facebook post claiming they did not pay a bill. this Mountain Ash in the Strzelecki Ranges is known as the Mount Fatigue Giant the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) has highlighted some majestic trees around the state by announcing the Victorian Tree of the Year a towering Mountain Ash known as the ‘Mount Fatigue Giant’ has been named as the 2024 Victorian Tree of the Year Located in the Gunyah region of South Gippsland this mighty tree is a whopping 46 metres tall and it has a nice canopy spread of 20 metres This particular Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans) was first documented in the 1980s It’s standing tall in the Strzelecki Ranges The Mount Fatigue Giant is a marvellous example of one of the world’s tallest flowering tree species This particular old-growth tree has survived both fire events and logging threats which are both challenges faced by forests in the South Gippsland region It was crowned as the winner of the Victorian Tree of the Year competition and received over 20 per cent of votes from the community This competition celebrates the important role that trees play in our lives “The Mountain Ash is not only awe-inspiring in its scale but is also an ecological powerhouse,” said Justin Buckley Executive Manager of Gardens & Landscapes “These trees are vital to the health of our forests supporting life in the canopy above and on the forest floor below This recognition by the public highlights the importance of protecting these iconic trees as a legacy for future generations.” To find out more about the Tree of the Year, click here Recently I was on the North Shore of Minnesota when they received several inches of fluffy Gray clouds hung low and continued to sprinkle fairy dust throughout the following day Out on the cross-country ski trails above Grand Marais When a strip of blue sky finally peeked through the clouds The forest seemed decked out for Christmas with clusters of mountain-ash berries adding color in the woods along the ski trails One section of scrubby forest between Highway 61 and the lake seemed to be almost entirely composed of berry-laden mountain-ash trees As the days grow ever shorter and darker this time of year splashes of color like these berries do wonders for my mental health as they perch in the dark purple twigs and nibble both berries and buds The berries are acidic enough to last on the tree all winter all the fruits may disappear in a single day The twigs of mountain-ash apparently are tasty When I taught a wolf ecology course on the North Shore years ago we observed the impacts of deer browse in different parts of wolf territories Any mountain-ash short enough for deer to reach was deformed from their nibbling scientists observed that over eighty percent of mountain-ash stems in study plots were browsed by moose Snowshoe hares must browse the lowest twigs with their sharp incisors when I took a plant identification course at Northland College we only learned two species—American mountain-ash (a native) and European mountain-ash (Sorbus aucuparia when I’ve found these trees away from towns The three species are almost identical to the casual observer While the leaves are slightly different sizes and shapes this time of year the hairiness of the buds and berry stems seems to be the best distinguishing characteristic The buds of the European species will be covered with long Showy mountain-ash twigs and buds are pubescent (with short hairs) and American mountain-ash twigs and buds are usually smooth and hairless All of these species are good wildlife and landscaping trees although planting the native mountain-ashes is preferred since the European ones have been known to escape into the wild rounded clusters of white flowers don’t look like roses from afar A closer look at the flowers reveals five white petals very similar to the blossoms on their cousins: strawberries Even the fruits of mountain-ash look like mini apples The hyphen in their name indicates that they aren’t really related to ash trees Mountain-ash are called that because they have compound leaves with long these wonderful wildlife trees won’t be impacted by the deadly emerald ash borer insects Both of our native species reach their southwestern edge in northern Wisconsin and Minnesota American mountain-ash also extends down the spine of the Appalachians The happiest specimens seem to be concentrated along the north shores of Lake Superior and Lake Huron They are quite common among the balsam fir trees on Isle Royale as well On the water-limited bedrock along Artist’s Point in Grand Marais I’ve noticed they can remain quite shrubby and a heat wave last summer left their leaves brown and crispy The color these wonderful berries bring to our winter woods is only one reason I enjoy them Getting to watch and listen to the flocks of birds they attract is another the challenge of learning to distinguish the two native species will give me an excuse to look more closely at their leaves and twigs Natural Connections: Dreaming of an Elfin Skimmer is available to purchase at www.cablemuseum.org/books and at your local independent bookstore the Cable Natural History Museum has served to connect you to the Northwoods The Museum is open with our brand-new exhibit: “Anaamaagon: Under the Snow.” Our Winter Calendar is open for registration and cablemuseum.org to see what we are up to Submit A Story or Press Release: DrydenWire@gmail.com Advertising QuestionsGeneral QuestionsDrydenWire Insider Questions