Through our work with Slade Farm Organics we aim to broaden knowledge and raise awareness of rural ecology, farming, biodiversity and the environment.

From 2024-2026 we are leading Restoration for Rare Arable Plants research project supported by the Nature Network Fund from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The project aims to connect threatened grassland ecosystems, restore rare arable plant habitats, and connect the local community to their natural heritage and the ecosystem services it provides. This project focuses on disseminating knowledge to our local community, visitors, farmers, schools/students through the Pencoedtre Learning Community and academic partners, Cardiff University School of Biosciences and Newcastle University, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences.

Key research activity includes: 

Habitat creation/ management, and connectivity through creation of unsprayed & un-sown cultivated margins, chemically unsprayed cereals, over winter arable stubbles and SSSI connectivity 

Cysylltu pobl a Natur (Connecting People to Nature), through our schools outreach programme, workshops and farm walks, “farm trail” permissive path creation and rare arable plant citizen surveys and eDNA research.