Climate

Nature in Wales ‘in steep decline’ with most protected habitats in ‘poor condition’

Published

2 months ago

January 21, 2026

Watchdog says urgent joint action is needed — with only two of 61 habitats classed as favourable nationwide

NATURAL RESOURCES WALES has issued a stark warning about the state of the nation’s wildlife and landscapes after publishing the first full Wales-wide assessment of the conservation status of key habitats and species.

The report, released under embargo at 12:01am on Thursday (Jan 22), brings together evidence on habitats and non-bird species of international importance, alongside assessments for all birds in Wales. NRW said it provides the clearest national picture yet of how species and habitats are faring, the pressures driving decline, and what measures are most likely to support recovery.

The findings are intended to act as a baseline for efforts to halt biodiversity loss and will feed into Wales’ next State of Natural Resources Report (SoNaRR), which NRW said is due to be published on Thursday (Jan 29).

The assessment makes sobering reading.

Of the 61 habitats assessed, only two were found to be in favourable condition across Wales as a whole. Nearly 80% were classed as “unfavourable-bad”, underlining what NRW described as the scale of the challenge facing nature recovery in Wales.

Among 53 non-bird species, just 14 were assessed as being in favourable condition, while 16 were found to be in serious decline. NRW said these include Atlantic salmon, which has suffered steep falls in numbers in recent years.

For marine species — excluding seabirds — the report found only four were in favourable condition, while the conservation status of others remains poorly understood due to gaps in evidence.

The report also highlights steep declines in 16 species, including the Marsh fritillary butterfly and rare plants such as the fen orchid. But NRW said the overall picture is not entirely bleak, pointing to some bird species that have increased significantly in Wales over the past two decades, including the Atlantic puffin.

NRW said pressures vary between habitats and species, but the main drivers of decline include agriculture, climate change, pollution and urban development. It also highlights disease impacts on birds and water-related pressures affecting fish — factors which can combine and compound one another.

The assessment draws on evidence from long-running monitoring programmes, independent research and citizen science. It examines range, population trends, habitat condition and long-term prospects, alongside the pressures continuing to drive losses.

NRW said the complexity of the threats means solutions must be joined-up, long-term and delivered collectively — not as isolated projects — but argued that nature can recover where action is targeted and sustained.

It pointed to partnership work already underway, including peatland restoration and carbon protection, and programmes aimed at reversing bird declines, including the Wales Curlew Action Plan and the Welsh Seabird Conservation Strategy.

NRW also said several species have been successfully restored through reintroduction programmes and habitat management, including fen orchid, shore dock, natterjack toad and sand lizard. Work is also underway on freshwater pearl mussel recovery.

Other initiatives highlighted include the £26.6m Welsh Government-funded Nature Networks programme, aimed at improving and connecting habitats across Wales, and the Natur am Byth species recovery programme, described as a major partnership effort focused on preventing extinctions while engaging communities.

Mary Lewis, Head of Natural Resource Management Policy at NRW, said the report offers both a warning and a roadmap.

“This report paints a sobering picture of nature in Wales,” she said. “The scale of decline is concerning, but we cannot afford to see it as inevitable.

“What this assessment gives us is clarity: clarity on where nature is under the greatest pressure, and clarity on what needs to be done. It provides the evidence base we need to target our work, and to help others target theirs.”

She added that NRW is already working with a wide range of partners — including farmers, land managers, local authorities, communities, organisations and government — to restore habitats, improve river health, and support nature-friendly farming through the Sustainable Farming Scheme.

Lewis said the report will also help guide priorities linked to Wales’ commitment to protect and effectively manage 30% of land and sea by 2030.

“This baseline, taken together with the evidence highlighted in our SoNaRR report will guide our future priorities, and ensure that Wales’ response to the nature and climate emergencies is grounded in robust evidence,” she said.

“By acting together now, we can secure a nature-rich, climate-resilient Wales that supports the wellbeing of current and future generations.”

NRW said the data and learning from the assessment is already being used to shape its forthcoming State of Natural Resources Report, due to be launched next week on Thursday (Jan 29).

Climate

Research vessel begins mission to study seabed carbon in Irish Sea

Published

10 hours ago

March 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Bangor University scientists join £2.1m project investigating the impact of bottom trawling on carbon stored beneath the seabed

A STATE OF THE ART research vessel has set sail from Liverpool to investigate how bottom trawling may affect carbon stored in the seabed of the Irish Sea.

The scientific expedition is part of a £2.1 million research project funded by the Natural Environment Research Council and led by Professor Jan Geert Hiddink of Bangor University.

A team of eighteen scientists has embarked on the RRS Discovery, one of the world’s most advanced research vessels, for a three-and-a-half-week voyage studying the impact of fishing activity on carbon held in seabed sediments.

Before the ship departed, a number of local dignitaries were invited aboard for a tour of the vessel, including Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram and National Oceanography Centre Operations Director Natalie Campbell.

Professor Jan Geert Hiddink, from Bangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences, said bottom-trawl fishing is both vital to global food supply and a major disturbance to seabed environments.

“Bottom-trawl fishing provides around a quarter of global seafood but is also the most extensive physical disturbance caused by human activities to stocks of carbon locked in seabed sediments,” he said.

“This is important because recent evidence suggests that disturbing the seabed could lead to the release of significant amounts of greenhouse gases from the seabed into the atmosphere.

“There are still major uncertainties about how this disturbance affects carbon stored beneath the seabed. As a result, the impact of these disturbances is largely unquantified and currently unregulated.

“The aim of this project is to gain a much clearer understanding of what is happening so that scientists, policymakers and regulators can make informed decisions in the future.”

Seven research organisations are collaborating on the project: Bangor University, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), Heriot-Watt University, the University of Leeds, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, the University of St Andrews, and Imperial College London.

Caption: Scientists prepare to begin their research aboard the RRS Discovery, one of the world’s most advanced research vessels.

Climate

Green hydrogen plant approved for Milford Haven Freeport site

Published

5 days ago

March 11, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Major investment expected to boost low-carbon industry and create skilled jobs in West Wales

A MAJOR green hydrogen project planned for the Milford Haven Freeport tax site has taken a significant step forward after developers approved the final investment decision.

Energy company MorGen Energy has confirmed it will proceed with the West Wales Hydrogen project, one of the first schemes backed through the UK Government’s Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR1) to reach this stage.

The facility will be built within the Milford Haven Tax Site, part of the Celtic Freeport zone covering Pembrokeshire and Neath Port Talbot.

Construction is expected to begin in 2026, with the plant scheduled to become operational in early 2028.

Once completed, the site is expected to produce around 2,000 tonnes of low-carbon hydrogen each year, meeting the UK’s Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard.

The hydrogen produced will support a range of industries, including port operations, manufacturing and industrial heating, as well as use as a chemical feedstock.

Supporters say the development will help reduce carbon emissions while strengthening Milford Haven’s role in the UK’s emerging hydrogen economy.

The project is also expected to create skilled jobs and provide work for local contractors during the construction phase.

Further expansion may be possible in future phases as demand for hydrogen grows, potentially helping establish Milford Haven as a major hub for low-carbon energy production serving South Wales and beyond.

Luciana Ciubotariu, Chief Executive of Celtic Freeport, said the decision marked another milestone for the region.

She said: “MorGen Energy’s decision is another major step forward for the hydrogen economy in South West Wales.

“Projects like this within the Milford Haven Tax Site show how the Celtic Freeport is accelerating decarbonisation while creating high-value jobs.”

The UK Government’s Hydrogen Allocation Round scheme provides revenue support to help scale up the country’s low-carbon hydrogen sector and bring early projects to market.

Climate

Assault investigation launched after biker gang incident on A48

Published

1 week ago

March 9, 2026

Tom Sinclair

POLICE appeal for witnesses after man reportedly attacked by group of eight men near Llanddarog junction

Local officers are investigating an alleged assault that took place on the A48 westbound at the Llanddarog junction, before the Nantycaws turn-off, at around 2:30pm on Saturday (Mar 7).

The incident is reported to have involved eight men who had parked Harley-Davidson motorcycles in a lay-by. The group allegedly assaulted a man who was travelling in a car.

The victim sustained moderate injuries and their vehicle was also damaged during the incident.

Anyone with information, or with private CCTV or dashcam footage showing suspicious activity in the area at the time, is asked to contact police in one of the following ways:

Online: https://orlo.uk/KRjzb
Email: [email protected]
Call: 101

Alternatively, information can be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555111 or visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.

Please quote reference: DP-20260307-227.