Future for Lake Vyrnwy estate farm secured by wildlife charity

The long term future of the Lake Vyrnwy estate farm in Powys has been secured.

In April, the landowner,Severn Trent Water granted a long term lease of the Ty-Llwyd Farm to RSPB Cymru.

The future of the estate looked bleak after numerous attempts to buy the estate fell through.

This led to Severn Trent Water taking all the land off the market in June 2013.

It's the largest Organic farm in England and Wales and has more than 3100 Welsh mountain sheep and Welsh black cattle and hill ponies.

The farm is made up of approximately 12,000 acres of upland farm, moor and blanket bog within the Lake Vyrnwy estate.

Lake Vyrnwy is one of the most important areas for wildlife and nature in Wales and this importance has earned it the highest levels of designation

The land and surrounding area is important for wildlife like, birds, beetles and moths, storing carbon in its blanket bog and providing drinking water to Liverpool from the lake.

As well as the abundant wildlife, providing clean water and carbon storage, Vyrnwy attracts around 250,000 visitors per year, for walking, birdwatching and participating in low-impact water sports.

The area is also home to one of Britain rarest ground beetles which has recently been found at Lake Vyrnwy in numbers greater than the rest of Britain put together.