RIP - Peter Walters Davies: Hostel, 1940 - 1945

Peter Walters Davies: Hostel, 1940 - 1945

Born 1st July 1928 - Died 10th April 2022

Peter was born on 1st July 1928 to David and Elsie, both from farming families, in Aberystwyth.  His love of the natural world was nurtured from a young age by many happy holidays spent on the family farm.

Peter went away to school at Christ College, Brecon, where he had to grow up quickly, be an independent learner and become an all-round sportsman. Days which set him in good stead for the future.  There he played 1st XV Rugby and 1st XI Hockey.

National Service interrupted Peter's studies.  Commissioned into the Corps of Royal Engineers before the age of 18, he served in Egypt and Kenya, postings that widened his experiences and exposed him to wildlife across the globe.

On returning to the UK, Peter completed a Zoology with Agriculture degree at Aberystwyth University.  When his ideal job became available with the Nature Conservancy Council, he moved to Llanmadoc, Swansea. This involved setting up the first nature reserve on the Gower and many others subsequently. It was here that he was also asked to research the red kite and its imminent extinction in the UK.  This became his life long mission spending many hours searching the Welsh hills and chatting to farmers to try and establish a safe environment in which this wonderful bird could thrive.  From a very slow and difficult start, decades later, it became one of the most successful regeneration programmes of its kind. 

Promotion brought Peter back to Aberystwyth where he lived with his wife Margaret and raised their two daughters.  In 2006, alongside his colleague from The Welsh Kite Trust, the late Peter Davis, he was awarded an MBE for outstanding service to nature conservation.

Once retired, Peter took up fishing which he found relaxing be it from a boat or riverbank. He and Margaret also bought a campervan and travelled to the extreme islands around the UK.  Also, many holidays with grandchildren kept them busy.

Latterly, Peter started catching and recording moths, becoming the county recorder and travelling the country to extend his findings. 

Peter's determination to continue with a purpose and make a difference in the natural world found him wanting to develop a local nature reserve in the woods behind his house.  Parc Natur Penglais was established and is now recognised by the local council.  Peter was also instrumental in the work of the Green Aberystwyth Group, ensuring that the town's green spaces and trees were well documented and would flourish for future generations.

Peter is survived by his daughters Lynne and Bev who have inherited his love of the outdoors and, of course, Bannau Brycheiniog.