Recording two decades of environmental work in Machynlleth: archiving ecodyfi
- dyfibiosphere
- Feb 21, 2025
- 2 min read
As ecodyfi becomes Biosffer Dyfi, its records are going to National Library of Wales. Darllen yn Gymraeg
As ecodyfi has changed its name to become the Dyfi Biosphere, a team of Aberystwyth University students are sorting through its records for donation to the National Library of Wales. This archiving exercise is expected to connect with a UK-wide project called Oral History of the Environmental Movement based at Royal Holloway University London.
“The records cover an important period of the environmental movement in Wales, and our students, who are all studying for our Master’s in Archives and Records Management, are gaining valuable professional experience by preparing them for permanent preservation,” said Dr Sarah Higgins, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Information Studies at Aberystwyth University.
Ecodyfi was established in 1998 by individuals from Powys County Council, Dulas Ltd and many other partners with the aim of strengthening the local economy through a range of innovative activities. These were to include sustainable tourism, sustainable energy and wellbeing, while bringing people together and developing a sense of place.
From 2009, ecodyfi also held the secretariat of the UNESCO Dyfi Biosphere. When Andy Rowland, managing director of ecodyfi since the start, retired last year the Board of ecodyfi decided to invest its reserves in employing staff to develop the Biosphere, and the company changed its name to Biosffer Dyfi.
“We are very pleased that Andy’s years of service to the local community have left ecodyfi in a very good position and we look forward to building on that as we develop the Dyfi Biosphere,” said Martin Ashby, Co-Chair of the Biosphere board.
"We are grateful to Andy and ecodyfi for all its work on the Biosphere, the only one in Wales,” said Jane Powell, former Chair of the Biosphere partnership who with James Cass has taken over the coordinating role. “These are challenging times and it is good to be part of UNESCO with its international network of learning and research.”
The two-decade arc from early fieldwork to mentoring Aberystwyth students is inspiring. I'd love to explore the archive and see the recordings firsthand. https://2d-to-3d.org
Two decades of environmental work in Machynlleth is such a rich archive — the Aberystwyth University student involvement really shows how ecodyfi is passing on vital knowledge to the next generation. I'd love to check out the student-led recordings from the fieldwork sessions. https://aivideomeme.com
The article is about archiving two decades of environmental work in Machynlleth through the ecodyfi project, involving Aberystwyth University students. Here's the comment: I love the ecodyfi initiative — the idea of archiving two decades of environmental work in Machynlleth with students from Aberystwyth University really shows how place-based re https://hy-3d.net
Two decades of ecodyfi's environmental work in Machynlleth is a remarkable achievement. Andy Rowland's collaboration with Aberystwyth University students really shows how academic partnerships can strengthen local conservation efforts—I'd love to see more student-led projects like this. https://samaudiotool.com
The two-decade archiving effort is a fantastic resource for the Machynlleth community. I've been looking for something like this to help with my own local environmental documentation. https://3mf-to-stl.com