1.9 Aberdulais Falls and the local community
Other potential areas of conflict are with the local authority and local residents, who see the site as of value to themselves and have differing views about how it should be utilised.
The desire to accommodate, to some extent, the demands of the local community, and to engage with that community, has led to a number of initiatives. Examples of these include the use of the site's facilities for hosting lectures, meetings, keep-fit groups, etc. These initiatives can be of use to local businesses and community groups, and help raise additional revenue.
There is clear amenity value of the Falls to the local community, which was enhanced in 1994 by the acquisition of an additional 15 acres of surrounding woodlands. These are slowly being developed to provide woodland walks and nature trails.
Fishing and bird watching are also encouraged, as are field trips by local schools.
However, the Falls are in close proximity to a local housing estate (see Figure 1). At times, there have been problems between the residents of this estate and the National Trust. These have primarily involved fly tipping, vandalism and unauthorised access.
In an attempt to overcome such problems, members of the Trust have adopted a policy of meeting with the residents to discuss the problems and consider collaborative ventures and activities.