Worried farmers fear a sharp rise in land use conflicts – especially sheep worrying – if Snowdonia National Park Authority (SNPA) presses ahead with a new round of budget cuts and job losses.

SNPA needs to find savings of £784,087 over the next two years – equivalent to a 5% budget cut each year – and its warden service is in the firing line.

As many as six wardens, access officers and woodlands staff face redundancy, raising question marks about future footpath maintenance and recreation provision within the national park.

The proposed cutbacks have also prompted concerns about SNPA’s role as an economy driver and its ability to meet targets set by the Well-being of Future Generations Act.

Nant Gwynant in the heart of Snowdonia
Nant Gwynant in the heart of Snowdonia

Gwynedd Watkin, FUW Caernarfonshire’s CEO, said a streamlined warden service would jeopardise good relationships built up with farmers over many years.

“We are very concerned,” he said. “SNPA wardens provide an essential service in preventing sheep worrying incidents.

“Who will police the in the national park in their absence?

“Farmers cannot be up on the mountains all the time, looking out for their stock. There is a feeling that farmers have hung out to dry by these proposals.”

A dog grabbing a sheep next to Llyn Ogwen, Gwynedd
A dog grabbing a sheep next to Llyn Ogwen, Gwynedd

A stakeholder consultation plan, which concludes on Friday, outlines how SNPA’s Welsh Government grant for 2018-2020 will fall to just £4.48m.

This follows a decade of funding cutbacks and is less than SNPA received in 2001 (£4.54m).

It now plans to close the deficit by slashing costs and services, and raising revenues by hiking parking fees, Information Centres charges and planning fees.

Authority chairman Owain Wyn said budget cuts meant SNPA was having to prioritise services that are “essential to fulfilling our purposes”.

“Unfortunately, redundancy is inevitable in a situation such as this,” he said. “Losing anyone from our workforce will have a detrimental effect on our work.”

Footpath erosion, as here on Cadair Idris, is a constant challenge for SNPA
Footpath erosion, as here on Cadair Idris, is a constant challenge for SNPA

Although around nine jobs are at risk, the axe will mainly fall on frontline staff.

Stakeholders worry this could affect access provision across the National Park – including Snowdon – on both footpaths and CROW access land.

Hedd Pugh, chairman of NFU Cymru’s rural affairs board, who farms in the National Park, said SNPA had successfully boosted visitor numbers to 6m each year.

“With this comes responsibility,” he said. “As most of the land is in private ownership, much of it sheep walks, it would be irresponsible and a backward step for the authority to walk away from the good work of the past and make cuts to the wardening and access services.”

Upland sheep farmer Hedd Pugh at his remote Blaencywarch holding near Dinas Mawddwy
Upland sheep farmer Hedd Pugh at his remote Blaencywarch holding near Dinas Mawddwy

He said farmers had built up good working relationships with SNPA wardens and staff, who play an important role in promoting the area’s special qualities – a fundamental reason for setting up National Parks in the first place.

They also intervened in conflicts between visitors and land occupiers, said Mr Pugh.

He added: “The more visitors you have, the higher the potential for conflicts in land use.

“Prevention is much better than cure.”

  • SNPA will decide its response to stakeholder feedback on February 7.