A grassroots group campaigning for the protection of the Cambrian Mountains is celebrating its 20th year this July.

The Cambrian Mountains Society was set up by citizens in 2005 to protect the “unique and vulnerable landscape” spanning the Dyfi Valley to Llandovery, now with over 300 members.

One of their biggest achievements was gaining 21,000 signatures on a petition to recognise the Cambrian Mountains as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), debated in the Senedd in 2022 - something they continue to campaign for today.

A spokesperson for the group said: “The Society is a group dedicated to nature conservation, the protection of a unique and vulnerable landscape, and the maintenance of a traditional way of life...

“It seeks to directly influence the policies of public bodies regarding land use, conservation, and forest management, and advising and educating its members and the public about these issues.

“The world has changed a lot since the Society was founded, but the Society has adapted and evolved, and we continue to spread the word about our beautiful region, its history, culture and biodiversity.”

Prominent founding members included David Bateman, Martin Wright, Roger Earis, Roger Bray, John Morgan, Ann West, Malcolm Tunley, and Peter Foulkes.

The group continues to explore ways to protect the landscape and its “vulnerability to inappropriate development” including opposing plans for large-scale wind farms.

On this, a spokesperson said: “The Society has a policy strongly in favour of approaches to climate change mitigation which are non-destructive, and compliant with the official aim of considering the ‘health and well-being of future generations’.”

Twentieth anniversary celebrations will be at 2pm 12 July at Memorial Hall, Pontrhydfendigaid, with talks, Celtic music by Harpist Harriet Earis, and a stawberry tea.