Sam Rowlands MS visited Chester Zoo and the Wrexham Forest Partnership as part of his duties last month.
A Trip to Chester Zoo
“Delighted to Have the Opportunity”
Sam chairs the Senedd’s Cross-Party Group on Tourism and was invited to visit the largest UK zoo habitat ever created, just across the border from North Wales.
He said, “I was delighted to have the opportunity to be shown around the new Heart of Africa zone by Cameron Stephenson, the zoo’s Senior Public Affairs Advisor (see main image), who told me all about the new amazing development. It’s great to have such a wonderful tourist attraction so close to North Wales, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I was also pleased to hear that a number of people from North Wales are also employed there, and as the zoo continues to grow, I am sure there will be even more job opportunities.
“That is why I continually call for improved transport links from North Wales to the North-West, as we need to make sure that the infrastructure is there for people travelling to work or visiting from across the border. Chester Zoo is already a major tourist attraction, and the new Heart of Africa zone will be another reason for people to visit Chester, and hopefully tempt many more people to visit North Wales.”
Heart of Africa
Heart of Africa is Chester Zoo’s newest and most immersive experience, where African landscapes, species, and culture come to life across 22 acres, an area larger than 17 football pitches. The new area has been designed to recreate a variety of grassland habitats found across central Africa and is among the most ambitious expansions of any zoo in Europe. Taking centre stage is a vast open savannah where, for the first time at the zoo, visitors will encounter northern giraffes, Grevy’s zebras, roan antelopes and ostriches, all living together side-by-side.
In addition to the remarkable wildlife experiences, Heart of Africa also features Pamoja Village, a vibrant cultural space that offers a taste of African traditions, from authentic street food to immersive storytelling experiences in the wild. It aims to not only create a deeper appreciation for Africa’s wildlife, but also for the communities that live alongside it.
The zoo’s latest attraction, The Reserve, offers people the chance to stay in luxury lodges right in the heart of this piece of Africa. You can now make bookings for when it opens in August.
Woodlands Connection Week 2025
Wrexham Forest Partnership
Sam Rowlands also backed a week-long event to highlight trees and woodlands in Wrexham.
Returning for a third time, Wrexham Forest Partnership invited people of all ages to take part in Woodland Connections Week 2025. Mr Rowlands, who has a keen interest in nature and the environment, said he was glad to promote this fantastic event once again and urged everyone to attend the city centre launch.
“I am a great supporter of trees in our community and share Wrexham County Borough Council’s view that we should celebrate them in the area. It is good to see such a varied programme of events for all ages, as everybody knows the benefits of trees and woodlands for people and wildlife.”
Wrexham Forests Partnership is a collective of organisations that have signed Wrexham’s Woodland Pledge as a demonstration of their commitment to increasing tree canopy cover and protecting existing trees and woodland across the county borough.
Roots and All
There was a vibrant programme of events to join in with, celebrating the magic of woodlands all around us, funded by the Woodland Trust Emergency Tree Fund. This year’s theme was ‘Roots and All’, celebrating every part of a tree – from the underground networks of roots to the treetop canopies. We’ll examine how trees function and the benefits they provide to humans.
Jacinta Challinor, Chair of Wrexham Forest Partnership, said: “Roots and All is about digging deep — literally and figuratively — to explore every part of what makes trees so vital to our world. Whether it’s discovering the scent of a pine forest or hearing the vibrations within a tree, we want people to connect with woodlands in completely new ways.
Photo by Marc Pell on Unsplash
Even if you didn’t join any of the events during the week, there is more than one way to show your support for trees and woodlands in Wrexham. By signing up to the Woodland Pledge, you can join our mailing list, where you can find out how to help protect existing woodland or plant new trees in Wrexham.
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