Rebranding of National Park

Brecon Beacons National Park is reclaiming itsWelsh name. It will be known as Bannau Brycheiniog – or informally as ‘the Bannau’.The new name took effect from the 17th April 2023, on the 66th anniversary of the Park’s designation.The name is derived from the plural of ‘ban’, meaning ‘peak’ while ‘Brycheiniog’ refers to the old kingdom of King Brychan. Translated, it means ‘The Peaks of Brychan’s Kingdom’.

With the central Beacons mountain range covering a small proportion of the Park’s geography, and history showing no evidence that burning beacons ever existed on the Park’s summits, it was felt the area warranted a title more in keeping with its Welsh heritage.The change is part of the implementation of a new management plan designed to address the climate and biodiversity emergency and directly addresses problems the Park faces.

A series of projects are underway with partner organisations to attempt to halt, and reverse, the impact of climate change in the 520 square mile Park. Schemes include:
• 16,000 hectares of peatland restoration.
• One million new trees being planted.

• Water quality improvement, including getting rivers to bathing water quality standard across the Park. • A focus on sustainable farming for an improved local food economy.
• Curlew population recovery.
• Creation of wildlife corridors to link habitats.
• Floodplains to hold water, encouraging diverse plants to thrive in order to store both carbon and nutrients.

• Sustainable transport solutions, including park and ride pilots between MerthyrTydfil and Brecon.

• Encouraging everyone into nature.

National Park Chief Executive, Catherine Mealing-Jones, said: “With four million plus visitors to the Bannau each year, we know we can’t put a fence around nature – we have to be proactive. Our new management plan tackles climate change head on as we transition to net zero by 2035. Action will be happening across the Bannau to restore nature’s ability to capture carbon from the atmosphere.’’

For more information, visit https://future.bannau.wales