The location of the coniferous plantations is in swathes above enclosed fields but below the open moorland which could not be bought or leased due to being commonly grazed land. A very clear example of this is on both sides of the Caerfanell river from the Talybont reservoir dam to the head of the valley where the upper boundaries of the conifers have created hard lines within the landscape. In this case the afforestation started in the late 1940’s on land acquired by Newport Corporation in 1932 and leased to the then Forestry Commission for 999 years. Elsewhere with in our community land was bought from private landowners. During the 1800’s much deciduous woodland was felled for industry and charcoal followed by the demands of World War 1. The government set up extensive programmes to replace former forests with fast growing conifers which followed on after World War II. Species most commonly grown are European Larch, Sitka Spruce, Douglas Fir, Norway Spruce and Scots Pine. Much of the felling and extraction is highly mechanised with heavily laden lorries being a very common sight on narrow country roads. A more sympathetic approach for replanting is occurring on many locations with an increase in native broadleaved species being grown and softer boundaries to the plantations.