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).

Critics say that questions over delivery remain

THE UK GOVERNMENT has unveiled a £15bn Warm Homes Plan, which ministers say will help upgrade millions of properties with measures such as insulation, solar panels, home batteries and heat pumps, cutting energy costs and tackling fuel poverty.

Downing Street claims the programme could lift up to one million households out of fuel poverty by 2030, describing it as the largest public investment in home upgrades in British history. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “A warm home shouldn’t be a privilege, it should be a basic guarantee,” while Energy Secretary Ed Miliband called it a “national project” to improve affordability and energy security.

What is being offered

Government statements set out three main strands:

Support for low-income households
Ministers say targeted funding will provide fully-funded upgrades for households in or at risk of fuel poverty, with packages tailored to the property – including measures such as insulation and rooftop solar.

An offer for other households
The plan also includes government-backed finance aimed at reducing the upfront cost of home energy technologies for homeowners who want to upgrade, alongside continued support for heat pumps.

New protections for renters and future standards for new homes
The Government says it will strengthen requirements to improve energy efficiency in rented homes over time and link the wider programme to the Future Homes Standard, expected to come in from early 2026, with an emphasis on building new homes that are cheaper to run.

What it could mean for Wales

Energy policy is set at Westminster, but the Government says the plan includes funding allocations for devolved nations, which could feed into programmes chosen by the Welsh Government. Existing support in Wales includes the Warm Homes Nest scheme, which provides upgrades for eligible households.

Rural parts of west Wales, including Pembrokeshire, contain many older and harder-to-heat properties, as well as off-gas homes where insulation and correctly specified systems can make the biggest difference. However, specialists have long warned that retrofitting older, solid-wall or stone properties often needs careful design to avoid problems such as damp and condensation.

Sceptical voices: targets, costs and capacity

While the announcement has been welcomed by campaigners who want faster action on cold and unhealthy housing, critics and analysts have raised concerns about whether the plan can be delivered at the scale promised.

National coverage notes that the Government has dropped plans for a future ban on new gas boilers, opting instead for incentives rather than regulation, and has set an ambition of around 450,000 heat pump installations per year by 2030 – a level some argue falls short of what would be needed to transform the market.

There are also questions over installer capacity, supply chains and quality control, after previous schemes faced criticism for inconsistency and uneven outcomes.

Next steps

Ministers say further detail will follow on eligibility, how households apply, and how support will be coordinated with devolved administrations. For families struggling with high bills, the key test will be whether the funding reaches the homes most in need quickly — and whether the measures offered work for the reality of Britain’s ageing housing stock, including rural communities in west Wales.

Dead nest discovered near Wrexham as Welsh Government urges public to report sightings to protect bees and other pollinators

A DEAD nest of the yellow-legged hornet has been found near Wrexham, in the first confirmed discovery of the invasive insect in Wales.

The yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax), also known as the Asian hornet, is not native to the UK. It originates from Asia and was first seen in France in 2004 before spreading to a number of European countries including Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland and Germany.

Welsh Government officials say the insect poses a risk to honey bees and other pollinating insects, and are asking the public to remain vigilant and report suspected sightings.

The yellow-legged hornet was first sighted in England in 2016, and action has been taken every year since to locate and destroy nests.

While queens hibernate over winter, the insect is active from February to November and is most likely to be seen from July onwards. The Welsh Government has asked the National Bee Unit, part of the Animal and Plant Health Agency, to take action in line with the Asian Hornet Contingency Plan.

Deputy First Minister with responsibility for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies said the National Bee Unit had years of experience tracking and locating yellow-legged hornets, adding that its expertise would be “invaluable” in helping Wales respond.

He also thanked beekeepers and members of the public who continue to report suspected sightings and urged people to familiarise themselves with what the hornets look like as the weather warms up in spring and into the summer.

Anyone who suspects they have seen a yellow-legged hornet is being asked to report it using the ‘Asian Hornet Watch’ mobile app, available on Apple and Android, or by using the online report form.

Reports should include a photograph and the location of the sighting to help experts confirm identification. Identification guides and further information are available online.

Yellow-legged hornets are not generally aggressive, but people are advised not to approach or disturb a nest, as the insects can become aggressive if they perceive a threat.

Medical advice about hornet stings is available via the NHS website.