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Saving Wales’ Threatened Species 

TheNatur am Byth! partnership is Wales’ flagship Green Recovery project. It unites nine environmental charities with Natural Resources Wales (NRW) to deliver the country’s largest natural heritage and outreach programme to save species from extinction and reconnect people to nature. 

As part ofour work on Natur am Byth!we are focusing on some of our rarest vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens across Wales. We are particularly concentrating on two project areas within the wider programme:

Tlysau Mynydd Eryri / Eryri’s Mountain Jewels 

For the Tlysau Mynydd Eryri project we will be working in one of Britain’s richest mountain plant areas south of the Scottish Highlands.

Rosy Saxifrage - Robbie Blackhall-Miles

Threats

Our rare plants here are threatened by:

  • Changing land-use patterns and farming practice 
  • Past over-collection of specimens 
  • Increased deposition of air-borne nutrients (particularly nitrogen) 
  • Climate change

Through the project we will work with volunteers, mountain guides, local plant nurseries, botanic gardens, land managers and experts. Together we will revive populations of rare montane plants and invertebrates. We will celebrate the species and the landscapes within which they are found, mapping a vision for their future. 

Welsh Marches 

Through the Welsh Marches project we will be working in the rural county of Powys. Here we will be focussing on rare lichens and bryophytes of veteran trees, and dry rocky outcrops and hilltops.

Some of these species are actually adapted to the climate of the Mediterranean, and are near the northern limit of their global range in Wales. However, we know these communities are at risk from changes to their wider environment, to their local habitats, and from our land management systems.

We’ll be working with farmers and the local community, by raising awareness of these scarce species, and using practical conservation techniques. We will clear scrub, and plant ‘future veteran’ trees which may provide habitat in years to come. We will also be exploring systemic threats some of the species could face such as nitrogen pollution.

Through the Natur am Byth! We will: 

  • Put the risks to threatened species on the agenda and show why it matters 
  • Demonstrate how to save Wales’ most endangered species and help them to recover through resilient ecosystems 
  • Inspire people in Wales from all walks of life to take action and mobilise diverse communities to care for the wildlife on their doorstep 
  • Help a new wave of conservation ambassadors and practitioners to emerge
  • Collaborate to find solutions to the most pressing issues for species conservation in Wales

Find out more about the project and how to get involved: 

We welcome hearing from anyone who would like to speak to us about the programme or help us to shape it. You can email the Plantlife Cymru team about the project oncymru@plantlife.org.uk 

Who are we working with?

With thanks to the following funders:  

Natur am Byth!  partnership and funder logos