More than 50 young people, community members, artists, and environmental leaders gathered at Newport's Riverfront Gallery on Tuesday night for the launch of 'Abounding with fish? A youth-led mapping of the River Usk', marking a powerful moment for youth leadership in river restoration.

The preview event on November 4 brought together young artists, farmers, conservationists, and policy makers to celebrate a remarkable three-metre living map of the River Usk, created by 21 young people aged 12-30 alongside over 200 Usk Valley residents.

The evening opened with the premiere of a 16-minute film by young filmmakers Ben F Roberts and Rhys Jones, documenting the map's creation and the stories of those who contributed to it. Guests watched how the intergenerational collaboration unfolded in the Riverfront’s cinema, with the film highlighting both the river's decline and the community's determination to restore it.

A panel discussion followed, featuring Future Generations Commissioner Derek Walker, Simone Lowthe-Thomas (Director of Climate and Nature, Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority), filmmaker Ben Roberts, young artist Ella Davies, and Ellen Wilson (Peak Co-Director: Young People & Programme). The conversation explored how young people can lead the way in reimagining the future of Welsh waterways when given the opportunity and support.

Attendees spent the evening examining the exhibition's centrepiece – the painted, drawn, and embroidered fabric map – which records what people love about the river, what's changed, and hopes for its restoration. The map was accompanied by cyanotype prints and a woven riverscape made from wool donated by local farmers, showcasing the deep connection between land and water in the Usk Valley.

The exhibition marks the launch of Action for Conservation's new £250,000 Llifo/Flow project, funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. Working with Peak Cymru, Landed Futures, and the Usk Catchment Partnership, the three-year initiative will establish River Ranger Programmes for young people and create community restoration plans for two sub-catchments of the River Usk.

"The response has been incredible," said Hal Rhoades, Land-based Projects & Policy Lead for Action For Conservation. "Seeing people from across generations come together around this map, sharing their memories and their hopes is exactly what we envisioned. Young people have created something that speaks to everyone who cares about this river."

“It was wonderful seeing people’s appreciation for our intergenerational approach. Bridging the gap between young people's vision for the future and older generations' knowledge of the river's past has been central to the project.”

The exhibition continues at the Riverfront Theatre in Newport until November 14. Admission is free.

The exhibition marks the launch of the new, three-year Llifo/Flow Project led by Action for Conservation, Landed Futures, Peak Cymru, and the Usk Catchment Partnership Knowledge Hub. The project aims to create community restoration plans on two sub-catchments of the River Usk at Abergavenny and Penpont, establish River Ranger Programmes for local young people, and encourage decision-makers to embrace community knowledge and youth leadership in the design, development, and delivery of catchment-scale nature restoration efforts on Welsh rivers.

For more information visit: https://www.newportlive.co.uk/en/theatre-arts/art-gallery/