The Welsh Kite Trust

Michael D. Hayward

Some of my earliest childhood memories are of spending happy holidays on a relatives farm in the Severn Vale - this farm was named 'The Kites Nest'. Little did I know what a 'Kite' was in those far off days (other than the ones we made from brown paper and cane and flew on windy days) and that some 60 years later I would be searching Welsh hillside woodlands for nests of the Red Kite.

I was born in Cheltenham in 1938 and spent all my early formative years there, going to the local primary school and progressing through to Cheltenham Grammar School. Although living on the outskirts of Cheltenham, the countryside was our playground. As I grew up I started taking a great interest in natural history and country activities, from ferreting rabbits to fishing and similar pastimes, encouraged by my family who were of country stock.

My time in the sixth form of the local Grammar School was most influential in furthering my interest in natural history and the biological sciences. This was due in no small part to the inspiration of the biology teachers who took us on field trips to such far away places as Bardsey Island and encouraged our after school activities of 'badger watching' and 'bat ringing'.

The time came for decisions on a university career, so following an introduction to the subject of genetics and inspired by reading of the activities of an old boy of the school, Sir Roland Biffen, who, by his wheat breeding studies which led to the production of rust resistant cultivars, had transformed the success of cereal growing on the praries of Canada, I decided I would like to pursue this subject. In those pre-UCCA days it was a case of hunting around for a university which offered appropriate courses. I eventually opted for and was accepted by the University College of Wales Aberystwyth to study for a degree in Agricultural Botany.

On graduating, three years later, I was faced with the dilemma of what to do - undertake National Service or seek to continue my studies for a higher degree. Needless to say I went for the latter! I applied for a research studentship at the Department of Genetics of the University of Birmingham to undertake research in to 'human chromosomes'. As a research topic it was somewhat outside my initial interests in plants but, on the advice of my professor, I decided to accept. It was an enlightening experience for two years as this was at a time when there was still controversy as to how many chromosomes man actually possessed! As well as providing sound training in cytogenetics it gave me an insight into how the medical research field operated at that time. Whilst my time in Birmingham was most enjoyable it was made especially so by the delightful surroundings in which we were privileged to work.

At that time, the late 50's, the Genetics Department was located in the grounds of what was originally a large industrialist's mansion, adjoining a lake with a wealth of natural plant habitats and birdlife, a quite unexpected and unique environment within a mile or so of the centre of Birmingham. On completing my PhD my ambition was still to work with plants. I was most fortunate in being offered a position back in Aberystwyth at the Welsh Plant Breeding Station to undertake population genetic research in grasses, as a basis for the production of improved cultivars. I accepted the post with no hesitation especially as I had just married Sh‰n, who I had met during my undergraduate days, who came from the Aberystwyth area and still had very strong family ties there.

My return to Wales, and the nature of my job, gave me the opportunity to get to really know the Welsh countryside, in all its aspects - its people, farming in particular and its wealth of wildlife and the challenges it faced. This was attained through two main channels. Firstly my research into the genetic structure of some of the old permanent grasslands of Wales, which were disappearing at an alarming rate, gave a first hand experience of the pattern of farming and ecological landscape of Wales.
Secondly, having moved in to my wife's family home, a smallholding near Aberystwyth, where we still reside today, we undertook farming on a small very amateurish scale keeping sheep, hens and ponies. The emphasis being on we kept them they did not keep us!

However it did provide a very valuable insight into the vagaries of farming. In addition, an understanding and appreciation of the problems besetting farming and land management in the uplands of Wales came especially from my wife's extended family who farm in the Tregaron area of Cardiganshire. It was on one such farm, in the early 60's, that I saw my first Red Kite soaring majestically over woodland where it was reputed to be nesting.

At that time numbers were still very low and to see such a bird was a unique experience. A few years later another relative started what was probably the first kite feeding station in Wales, to the south of Tregaron. It was to here in winter or to the Hafod area in spring or summer that I would take any guests we had staying who wanted to see a Red Kite. Rarely were we disappointed in finding this still elusive bird. This family interest in the welfare of the Red Kite is still maintained today by the involvement of relatives with the Kite Centre and feeding station at Tregaron. My interest in the countryside and its various facets led to membership of the West Wales Wildlife Trust, the Aberystwyth Angling Association, of which I was a director for many years and later chairman, and the University Shooting Club.

As a representative of the UCWSC on the newly formed Dyfi Wildfowl Management Panel I first got to know two of my fellow trustees - the Peter Davi(e)s duo. We were all on a steep learning curve at that time as to how to balance the conflicting interests of traditional country pursuits and wildfowl conservation on the recently established Dyfi Estuary National Nature Reserve. It is pleasing to see how the resolution of seemingly intractable differences has led to the amicable working relationship of today. As my research career at the Welsh Plant Breeding Station developed I got more involved in international cooperation in the field of forage grass breeding and genetics. Much of this was through membership of the European Association of Plant Breeders. I became President of the Fodder Crops Section of this organization and later Vice President of the overall Association.

This provided an opportunity to travel to many countries and to establish strong working relationships with various research groups throughout Europe and beyond. This led to invitations to be a visiting professor to several universities and related organisations such as the OECD Institute for Advanced Agronomic Studies at Zaragoza in Spain with which I had a long association and involvement in establishing the international course in plant breeding.

These visits not only gave an opportunity to see something of the agriculture and ecology of these countries but also established many long lasting friendships. A highlight of this collaboration was an invite to become a visiting research fellow at the CSIRO Division of Tropical Crops and Pastures at Brisbane, Australia.

This proved to be a unique experience for both myself and family, who came with me for the nine-month sabbatical. It was fascinating to see and get to know, something of the ecology of this unique environment. It was very apparent at that time (1978) as to how this young country had very limited policies on conservation and the maintenance of biodiversity. More recent visits have shown however that much more enlightened attitudes now prevail.

Some of these problems of balancing global agriculture with conservation and the need for feeding an ever increasing world population have been brought home to me by further collaborative research projects I had with institutes in India, Brazil, Mexico and Argentina. In recognition of my contribution to plant breeding research and education, I was made an Honorary Professor of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.

Since my retirement from full time employment some seven years ago I have been able to devote more time to my leisure activities of gardening, countryside sports, and photography - especially of kites.