THERE’S not a lot to be over-optimistic about lately; party politics, referendum splits, atrocities worldwide, weather often diabolical and dull, most bird species have stopped singing and the butterflies (and many other insects) are conspicuous by their absence, all very worrying, writes Roy Bamford.

At least Welsh football, Andy Murray and now the Olympics have provided some distraction.

Apparently if you are found planting a tree, it is thought to be a sure sign that you are an optimist, after all, you have to be thinking long-term when you plant a tree.

Here in north Ceredigion and in west Wales generally we are fortunate in having a wide range of woodland types and a significant proportion of native broadleaves, usually the most important ecologically and for wildlife in general.

Forest plantations clothe much of the mid and upper elevations, but there is now a more relaxed attitude to broadleaved regeneration and even moves afoot to replace some conifer plantations with native broadleaves.

How thoughts and woodland management aims and objectives can change in just a few years.

Hedgerows are another matter and despite a recent resurgence in planting under various environmental ‘guises’, I get the impression we are still slowly losing hedges, mainly through neglect.

Read the full feature in this week’s south editions of the Cambrian News, available in store and online on Wednesday