Coastal Connections: Community, Conservation, and Creativity

Jane Powell (left) and Alice Briggs (right)

On a damp morning a few weeks ago, I caught the train to Machynlleth to meet Jane Powell from Biosffer Dyfi Biosphere and Alice Briggs from RSPB. I was introduced to Jane via Rhiannon Raftery, Community Rail Development Coordinator for Wales and Borders. Rhiannon’s role bridges Transport for Wales and Welsh Government to amplify community rail’s impact on wellbeing, sustainable travel, and inclusion.

We met at Y Plas, a vibrant hub in the town centre that houses the Biosffer Dyfi Biosphere office. Although I missed seeing the community gardens outside, the busy café inside felt like the perfect setting for our conversation over tea.

Jane Powell has been engaged with the Dyfi Biosphere Education Group since 2010 and chaired the partnership before joining the staff in 2024. She reminded me that UNESCO Biospheres serve as “learning places for sustainable development,” tackling global challenges locally. Their three core functions are:

●      Conservation: protecting wildlife, habitats and ecosystems

●      Development: fostering a sustainable economy and resilient communities

●      Education: facilitating research, monitoring and global knowledge-sharing

With only seven UNESCO Biospheres in the UK and over 700 worldwide, Jane emphasised how local solutions in the Dyfi catchment can inspire broader change.

Whilst we were chatting about my role and what Jane was up to, Alice Briggs joined us with a drink and the conversation turned to her project at Tir Canol which is called Changing Tides.

Alice Briggs leads Tir Canol, an RSPB-supported project in Mid Wales focused on designing land- and sea-use that benefits both nature and people. She also acts as a creative agent for the Arts Council of Wales’ Lead Creative Schools Scheme, weaving art into environmental education and community engagement.

Her description of Changing Tides captured the project’s urgency: it’s a response to rising sea levels, flooding and shifting ecosystems. Grounded in local knowledge, the initiative aims to strengthen coastal communities by celebrating their deep connections to land, water and seasonal rhythms. We talked at length about this and how it would affect the local communities, businesses and transport.

Too quickly it was time for me to catch the train back to Newtown. Hopefully I will meet up with Jane and Alice again to speak further about their projects.