28 projects across Wales have secured over £15million (£15,186,716) to protect wildlife and biodiversity across land and sea.
The projects, which include initiatives to protect the brown long-eared bat, restore wetland habitats and safeguard important plant species, will all benefit from grants between £50,000 and £1million from the Nature Networks Fund.
Delivered by the Heritage Fund on behalf of the Welsh Government and in partnership with Natural Resources Wales (NRW), the fund aims to strengthen the resilience of Wales’ protected land and marine sites and accelerate nature’s recovery.
Huw Irranca-Davies, Deputy First Minister with responsibility for Climate Change said: “This significant investment demonstrates our ongoing commitment to our international targets such as 30by30 which are increasing the scale and pace of delivery helping to protect Wales’s natural heritage.
By supporting these projects, we’re not only preserving precious ecosystems but also empowering communities to become stewards of their local environments. The Nature Networks Fund is a crucial tool in our response to the nature emergency, helping us build a more resilient Wales for future generations.”
The funded projects will focus on restoring connectivity between protected sites to create nature networks where habitats and species can thrive and adapt to environmental challenges.
Since its launched in 2021, the Nature Networks Fund has awarded a total of 147 projects a share of £54million (£54,250,110).
In this latest round, The Bat Conservation Trust is receiving £249,630 for a Wales-wide project focused on the conservation of the brown long-eared bat, affectionately known as the whispering bat. The project will support the management of protected woodland habitats, undertake tree roost surveys, enhance data collection and connect local people to wildlife through a variety of events and activities.
Vulnerable plant species will be safeguarded by the National Botanic Garden of Wales thanks to a £823,320 grant. The project will provide critical equipment and expand threatened flora collections housed in the National Seed Bank of Wales, which currently conserves just 11% of Welsh flora. The funding will also support infrastructure improvements to the 150-hectare Waun Las National Nature Reserve with nature-friendly grazing methods in mind.
Another project will benefit from £548,406 in funding to restore vital wetland habitats. WWT, the wetland charity, will carry out works to WWT Llanelli and the surrounding Tir Morfa coastline, to improve conditions for wildlife, including internationally important wintering birds, connect people to nature and build a climate-resilient future for the wider Burry Inlet ecosystem.
Andrew White, Director of Wales at the Heritage Fund said:
“To protect Wales’ habitats and wildlife, we need long‑term, sustainable action built on genuine collaboration. These awards show the scale of ambition behind the Nature Networks Fund, and the vital role communities play in creating a more resilient future for nature.
At the Heritage Fund, supporting and strengthening our natural heritage is a key priority. We’re proud to be working with the Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales to deliver this programme and help drive nature’s recovery across the country.”
Mary Lewis, Head of Natural Resources Management & Policy at NRW said:
“We are delighted to see such an impressive range of high-quality projects receiving support through the Nature Networks Fund. From marine and coastal environments to our rivers, wetlands and terrestrial habitats, the breadth of ambition shown across Wales is truly inspiring.
These initiatives embrace innovative methods to tackle some of our most pressing nature and climate challenges. In doing so, they directly support our aims to maintain, restore, and enhance the condition of protected sites, to help build resilient ecological networks that safeguard our most vulnerable habitats and species.”
