A statement from Cllr. Ifor Glyn Lloyd following being elected as Chairman for the Eryri National Park Authority today.
“I am deeply honoured to have been elected Chairman of Eryri National Park Authority and would like to sincerely thank my fellow Members for placing their trust in me. I would also like to pay tribute to Cllr. Edgar Wyn Owen for his dedication, commitment and leadership during his time as Chairman, and thank him for his service to the Authority and to Eryri.
I have served as a member of Conwy County Borough Council since 2014 and have been a member of Eryri National Park Authority for over a decade, including the last two years as Vice-Chairman. I live and work on a farm in Llanfair Talhaiarn and have strong personal, professional and cultural connections with Eryri through my family, my work and my lifelong involvement with the area.
Throughout my career I have been a passionate advocate for the environment and wildlife. Since my university days, I have worked closely with local and national organisations on developing and implementing plans to protect and enhance our natural environment. Alongside this, I bring experience from farming, lecturing and planning, all of which have given me a broad understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing rural communities and protected landscapes.
I look forward to supporting the Authority as it progresses a number of important and ambitious projects, including the exciting plans for Plas Tan y Bwlch, while also tackling the challenges that lie ahead with determination and enthusiasm. Protecting and restoring nature will remain a key priority, alongside safeguarding the special landscapes that we care for so deeply. I am also committed to working closely with our partners to find sustainable solutions to issues such as parking pressures and visitor management in some of Eryri’s most popular locations.
As Chairman, my ambition is to ensure that Eryri’s natural environment is protected and enhanced for future generations. I look forward to working closely with the Authority’s leadership team, staff, Vice-Chairman and fellow Members to ensure that the National Park continues to offer inspiring experiences for visitors while supporting local businesses, farmers and the wider rural economy.
I am also committed to supporting projects that promote sustainable tourism, strengthen the local economy, encourage sustainable farming practices and protect the wildlife and habitats that make Eryri so special. At the same time, it is vital that our communities remain at the heart of decision-making. Should new measures such as a visitor levy be introduced in the future, I will work to ensure that local communities benefit from them and that the Welsh language, our culture and our way of life continue to thrive.
Eryri is a place of international significance, but it is also a place that people call home. I look forward to working with colleagues, partners and communities across the National Park to ensure that Eryri remains a vibrant, living landscape where nature, culture and communities can flourish together.”