Thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Vincent Wildlife Trust’s (VWT) nationally significant project — Martens on the Move — is working with communities and organisations to support the pine marten, one of Britain's rarest mammals, to thrive once again.

A vital part of the project in south Wales is the launch of the new Pine Marten Haven in partnership with Coed Cadw and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) at Wentwood Forest. Here, visitors can learn about these incredible animals while enjoying a visit to the largest ancient woodland in Wales. This Haven site includes a new wildlife viewing hide, pine marten information boards along a nature trail, and life-sized pine marten silhouettes hiding in the forest waiting to be spotted!

Pine martens were once widespread in Wales, but by the beginning of the 20th century the species had drastically declined with only small numbers surviving in North and mid-Wales. Between 2015 and 2017, VWT successfully translocated 51 pine martens from northern Scotland to mid-Wales. This location was chosen due to the large and connected woodlands there. In 2019 and 2021, VWT helped Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and Forestry England translocate 35 pine martens to the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley. Today, low numbers of pine martens are recorded across Wales, including Monmouthshire.

The Pine Marten Haven at Wentwood is one of three Havens for Martens on the Move. The project has also launched Havens at Wallington in Northumberland (in partnership with National Trust) and at Kirroughtree in Dumfries and Galloway (in partnership with Forestry and Land Scotland).

Kylie Jones Mattock, Director of Coed Cadw (Woodland Trust in Wales), said, “ By creating this new Pine Marten Haven, visitors will learn more about one of our rarest native mammals while also celebrating the vital role healthy woodlands play in their recovery.”