At this year’s ACE Monmouth festival, Monmouthshire County Council discussed with local actors on how to make Monmouth Wales’ first Deforestation Free Town.

At a panel discussion, businesses, schools, regenerative farmers, the chambers of commerce and policymakers were brought together to discuss this shared vision.

The pilot of a pioneering campaign by the charity Size of Wales, a unique charity that is making Wales part of the global solution to climate change, has been working with the local community to help Monmouth on its journey to becoming Deforestation Free.

Deforestation Free Communities is the first campaign of its type and aims to reduce the use of products that drive deforestation in places like the Amazon Rainforest, thanks to funding from the COOP Foundation.

The roundtable discussion comes after Osbaston CIW Primary School made headlines becoming Wales’ first deforestation free school earlier this year. Last year, an area of tropical forest equivalent to twice the size of Wales was lost to deforestation due to the products and services consumed here on a daily basis.

Nichola James, Deforestation Free Communities Campaign Officer at Size of Wales said: “We have seen today a commitment from local businesses, residents and policymakers to making Monmouth deforestation free”.

The discussion at the ACE Festival comes after Monmouth Town Council recently voted to become Wales’ first Deforestation Free Town Council.

The focus now turns towards upscaling the campaign to a county level and then a national level.

Local actors involved in the process also include food wholesaler Castell Howell, and local regenerative farmers who are leading the way in innovative agricultural solutions.

Size of Wales is calling on local businesses, schools, farmers and individuals to get in touch and find out how they can support the project.

To contact them, please email [email protected]