English: One could argue that the Romans are chiefly responsible for this crucial structure, as I understand things at least, because of the land reclaimed from the seas with fields, some of which are used to this day. And every time the sea would flood the area then there was an attempt to recolonise that area, and we've heard about much of this already, and that certainly happened in the eleventh century. For me, it's hugely interesting in terms of the legal and conservation efforts to protect this area. I was very interested in the Monmouthshire court of sewers, for example, which dealt with the network of ditches and reens to ensure they were safeguarded. And despite the great flood that John referred to at the beginning of the sixteenth century, the area continued to be restored and the complex pattern of ditches and reens that exists there. I was familiar with this kind of thing in certain areas of Cardigan bay, such as the Dysynni valley, but there is nothing like that which is akin to the ditches and reens and trenches and the complex systems that sit alongside each other. So, I would like to summarise by thanking everyone who has cared for this landscape and safeguarded it, and particularly the Living Levels Parternship. This programme reconnects people with the Gwent levels and is of assistance in providing a sustainable future for the area. I would particularly like to note the particular contribution of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds - I certainly should declare an interest as a member for many years of the RSPB. I'm very fond of the way in which the RSPB works in partnership, working closely with local communities. And the centre that they have on the Gwent levels compares very favourably indeed, in my view, with the centre on the banks of the River Conwy. The work that's done by the RSPB does highlight and draw attention to all sorts of wildlife, and I do have to take the opportunity to use the Welsh word for 'water vole': llygoden bengron y dŵr. That is one of the finest descriptions - you have the round head and the ears, and that's everything that one sees of this water vole when they do appear from the marshland and on river banks. The work done to safeguard and conserve these rare creatures is a crucial part of protecting the environment. John referred briefly to some of the threats that can face an area such as this, as they face many other areas of conservation. It is clear that we must take great consideration of the environmental issues if we consider intervening in any way on this notable landscape. John will be entirely aware that the First Minister has received the report, which is almost 550 pages long, on the M4 project, and this will be given thorough consideration - I can say that on behalf of the First Minister. And the environmental issues will be taken fully into account, and certainly, that is a commitment that deserves to be restated. But the living levels landscape project and the programme that they have on the Gwent levels is an excellent example of how collaboration is possible in order to safeguard the notable heritage of Wales. I would, finally, like to thank John for his own contribution in leading and developing the policy, which became the Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2016. This has put Wales in the vanguard in terms of safeguarding heritage in the UK and beyond, and I am very grateful to John for his contribution, and to repeat his call that we all visit the Gwent levels to search for the water vole. Thank you very much.
Welsh: Ac mae'n debyg y gallech chi ddadlau mai'r Rhufeiniad sydd yn bennaf gyfrifol am y strwythur hanfodol yma, fel rydw i'n ei ddeall, oherwydd yr adennill a wnaed o'r ardal o'r môr a gosod rhai caeau sy'n cael eu defnyddio hyd heddiw. A bob tro roedd y môr yn gorlifo dros yr ardal wedyn, roedd yna ymdrech i ailwladychu'r ardal, ac rŷm ni wedi clywed sôn am yr unfed ganrif ar ddeg fel yr amser y digwyddodd hynny. I mi, mae yna ddiddordeb mawr yn yr ymdrechion cyfreithiol a chadwraethol i reoli yr ardal yma. Roeddwn i â diddordeb mawr yn llys carthffosydd sir Fynwy, er enghraifft, a oedd yn ymdrech i sicrhau bod y rhwydwaith o ddraeniau a morgloddiau yn cael eu cynnal a'u cadw. Er bod gorlif mawr y cyfeiriodd John ato fo ar ddechrau'r unfed ganrif ar bymtheg, fe barhawyd i adfer yr ardal a'r patrwm cymhleth yma o ddraeniau a ffosydd draenio. Roeddwn i'n gyfarwydd â'r math yma o beth mewn rhai ardaloedd ar fae Ceredigion, megis dyffryn Dysynni, ond does yna ddim byd yn nyffryn Dysynni sydd yn debyg i'r cymhlethdod o ddraeniau a'r hierarchaeth o ffosydd draenio a dyfrffosydd ar gyfeiliorn a'r cyfan rhyfeddol yma sydd yn cael eu cyfosod â'i gilydd. Felly, fe garwn i grynhoi drwy ddiolch i bawb sydd wedi gofalu am y tirlun yma, ac yn arbennig Partneriaeth Lefelau Byw. Mae'r rhaglen yma'n ailgysylltu pobl â chymunedau a thirwedd lefelau Gwent ac yn helpu i ddarparu dyfodol cynaliadwy i'r ardal. Mi garwn i, yn arbennig, nodi cyfraniad y Gymdeithas Frenhinol er Gwarchod Adar, yr RSPB - mi ddylwn i ddatgan diddordeb fel aelod ers blynyddoedd o'r gymdeithas yma. Dwi'n hoff iawn o'r modd y mae'r gymdeithas yn gweithio mewn partneriaeth - gweithio'n agos efo cymunedau lleol - ac mae'r ganolfan sydd gyda nhw ar y gwastadeddau, ar lefelau Gwent, yn cymharu'n ffafriol iawn, yn fy ngolwg i, i'r ganolfan sydd ar lan yr Afon Conwy. Mae'r gwaith sydd yn cael ei wneud gan y gymdeithas yma yn tynnu sylw at bob math o fywyd gwyllt, ac mae'n rhaid imi gael yr esgus fan hyn i ddefnyddio'r gair Cymraeg am water vole - llygoden bengron y dŵr. Mae hwnna yn un o'r disgrifiadau - mae'r pen crwn ac mae'r clustiau, a dyna'r cyfan mae rhywun yn ei weld o'r anifeiliaid rhyfeddol yma pan maen nhw'n dod allan o dyllau o fewn corsydd ac ar lannau afonydd. Mae'r gwaith sy'n cael ei wneud i warchod y creaduriaid prin yma hefyd yn rhan allweddol o warchod yr amgylchedd. Wel, fe wnaeth John gyfeirio yn gynnil at rai o'r bygythiadau sydd yn wynebu ardal fel hyn, fel y maen nhw yn wynebu sawl ardal o gadwraeth arall. Mae hi'n amlwg bod yn rhaid inni fod yn ystyriol iawn o'r anghenion amgylcheddol os ydym ni yn ystyried ymyrryd mewn unrhyw ffordd ar y dirwedd nodedig yma. Mi fydd John yn gwbl ymwybodol bod y Prif Weinidog bellach wedi cael yr adroddiad, sydd bron yn 550 o dudalennau, ar brosiect yr M4, ac mi fydd hwn - does dim rhaid imi ddweud o yma ar ran y Prif Weinidog - yn cael ystyriaeth gyfan gwbl drwyadl. Ac mi fydd yr agweddau amgylcheddol yn cael eu pwyso'n llawn, ac yn sicr, mae hwn yn ymrwymiad sydd yn werth ei ailadrodd. Ond mae'r prosiect tirlun y lefelau byw a'r rhaglen maen nhw'n ei gwneud ar lefelau Gwent yn enghraifft wych o sut mae modd cydweithio er mwyn diogelu treftadaeth nodedig Cymru. Dwi am, yn olaf, ddiolch i John am ei gyfraniad fo'i hun, drwy arwain a datblygu'r polisi ddaeth yn Ddeddf yr Amgylchedd Hanesyddol (Cymru) 2016. Mae hyn wedi rhoi Cymru ar y blaen o ran diogelu treftadaeth yn y Deyrnas Unedig a thu hwnt, ac mae'n dda gen i, felly, ddiolch i John am ei gyfraniad ac ailadrodd ei alwad o am i ni gyd fynd i chwilio am lygoden bengron y dŵr ar lefelau Gwent. Diolch yn fawr.