Brecon Beacons National Park has announced that it will exclusively use its Welsh appellation in the future.
The new name, Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, takes effect on Monday, the park’s 66th birthday.
The change, according to park administrators, promotes the area’s culture and heritage. However, the local representative stated that the English name could be retained alongside the Welsh.
It is part of a larger effort to revamp the park’s management to resolve serious environmental issues.
“The peaks of Brychan’s kingdom” is the Welsh name, pronounced “loch” for the ch.
Brycheiniog, named after King Brychan of the fifth century, was an independent kingdom in the early middle ages, and its borders roughly correspond to those of the current national park.
Resmi Satheesan, a tourist from India who presently resides in St Albans, Hertfordshire, frequently visits the park with her family.
She said, “I believe it will take us some time to adjust to the new name. But I wouldn’t mind the change.”
“More than the name, [people are] coming for the location. It’s like Mumbai and Bombay; some people still say Bombay, but we still understand what they mean.
“I speak multiple languages and have traveled extensively. What’s not to like about trying something new or learning about the locals?”
Laura Howell from Gower, Swansea, added, “People will probably continue to refer to it as the Brecon Beacons, but for Welsh speakers, it’s a point of pride, and I think it’s fantastic that it will be referred to in the Welsh language.”
“I believe it’s an improvement. Since we reside in Wales, this should be the case.”
Mark Jones from nearby Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf, stated, “We have bilingual names in Wales. And I believe it should be up to the individual whether they use the English or Welsh name.”
“The vast majority of Welsh residents do not speak Welsh as their first language, and they will continue to refer to the Brecon Beacons by that name.”
“I believe it is political and somewhat imposed on the public. People will continue to refer to it as the Brecon Beacons regardless of what they say.
Brecon and Radnorshire Conservative MP Fay Jones said she was unaware of the name change.
“I believe that many people were surprised by this decision,” she said.
Residents and employees of the national park desire to commemorate Welsh culture. However, why not use the Welsh name in addition to the English name?”
Ms. Jones stated that she had received several messages of concern from constituents and that she had “talked to a local business owner this morning who asked if she had missed a consultation opportunity to voice her opinions.
In response to Fay Jones, a spokesperson for Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority stated that the park has been discussing its identity and what it means to be a National Park with volunteers, residents, visitors, and businesses for the past two years.
This included a stakeholder advisory council, a citizens assembly, and a brand consultation process. “In response to this feedback, we have reclaimed our Welsh name and adopted a new brand to reflect a significant shift in our ambitions and outlook,” the spokesperson explained.
“We will refer to our organization and landscape as Bannau Brycheiniog. But we do not anticipate that everyone else will do so, at least not immediately. We hope that this commemoration of our language and heritage will have a positive effect on local tourism and culture.”
Plaid Cymru applauded what it termed a “positive step towards the normalization of the use of Welsh.”
“By reclaiming our original Welsh names, we can reclaim our heritage, which is essential if we want our language to continue to play a role in the future of Wales,” said a party spokesperson.
Catherine Mealing-Jones, the chief executive of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, stated, “It felt like the right moment to reclaim the old name for the area. This demonstrates our dedication to the Welsh language.
“However, we recognize that people are accustomed to calling the park by the name everyone has used for the past 66 years, so we do not expect everyone to use it immediately.”
After Eryri (previously Snowdonia) last year, it became Wales’ second Welsh-only national park.
The remaining national park in Wales, Pembrokeshire Coast, stated that it desired to “reflect all Pembrokeshire communities.”
“Due to the bilingual nature of these communities,” the document continued, “we will continue to use both the official Welsh (Arfordir Penfro) and English versions of the park’s name.”
Bannau Brycheiniog encompasses approximately 1,347 square kilometers of south and central Wales and attracts approximately four million visitors annually.
Former coal-mining community Blaenavon has been designated a Unesco World Heritage Site for its industrial heritage.
Recent reports on the condition of the natural environment, however, have raised several concerns.
These include a 30% decrease in rural bird populations since the 1970s as well as 67% of Wye catchment waterbodies and 88% of Usk waterbodies failing pollution targets.
According to park officials, a new management strategy will attempt to reverse the decline of wildlife species in the park by 2030 and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2035.
It will entail collaborating with partners to plant one million trees, restore sixteen thousand hectares of degraded peatlands, construct renewable energy systems, and improve public transportation.
Ms. Mealing-Jones stated, “We are out of balance between people and nature and the climate.”
Plans include connecting ecosystems with wildlife corridors and improving all rivers to satisfy recreational water quality criteria.
Between Merthyr Tydfil and Brecon, park-and-ride pilots will provide greener transportation alternatives.
Local food will enhance park fruit and vegetable cultivation.
Ms. Mealing-Jones stated, “There are still sheep and cattle grazing in the hills, as well as everything else that is characteristic of this terrain.”
However, there is an increase in horticulture, vineyards, renewable energy sources, carbon capture in peatlands, and the return of biodiversity.
Stella Owen, the county advisor for NFU Cymru, stated that while the national park needed to be placed “on a pedestal,” local farmers must be able to “run businesses, be profitable, and continue in these wonderful, vibrant communities – delivering on the Welsh language, culture, and social aspect of what we have.”
As part of its rebranding efforts, the authority is removing the image of a burning beacon from its logo, contending that the flaming, carbon-emitting symbol no longer reflects its commitment to combating climate change.
Michael Sheen, a Welsh actor, has narrated a brief film produced by the park to explain the upcoming changes.
In it, he expressed his approval of “the reclaiming of the old Welsh name.”
