Who we are and what we do

The Countryside Council for Wales is an independent public body whose role is to sustain Wales’ natural environment, both on land and at sea.

What we do?

We also encourage people to enjoy their environment. This could mean scaling some of our highest peaks or simply sitting in a park bench watching the world go by.

The natural world provides us with all the basics of life – clean water and pure air for example. And research has also shown that we are affected by our physical surroundings – so the better our natural environment, the better people feel.

However, many of us take our stunning surroundings for granted and this is at the heart of the work that CCW does. Our vision is for a country where everyone acts to safeguard the environment because they understand its importance – both now and for future generations.

CCW’s remit is broad and so we work across the country and with many different people such as farmers, town and country planners, scientists, health professionals as well as voluntary organisations and charities.

Every year, we receive a remit letter from the Welsh Government that highlights the targets that Ministers set for us.

Our day to day work

Informed advice

We advise on matters which affect the environment – from global issues like climate change to local concerns such as the impact of new developments. We advise government bodies at all levels – the Welsh Government, Westminster, Europe and Local Authorities.

Our replies to formal Government consultations can be viewed on this website.

We give advice and information on environmental matters to other organisations, both statutory and voluntary, and to developers or individuals as requested.

Protecting rare species

Rare and threatened animals and plants are protected by law so that they are not disturbed or destroyed. But on occasions this may be unavoidable – if, say, a scientist needs to undertake some important research. At such times CCW may allow the protected species to be legally disturbed by issuing an appropriate licence.

Research and survey

An understanding of the state of the environment, its habitats and wildlife is essential. So we carry out research and survey work to keep an eye on any changes. Our survey work can be done by visiting sites, diving the depths of welsh seas or using some more innovative, high tech solutions like remote sensing which allows us to look at Wales through satellite images.

We report these to Government and also use them in out advice. We also publish our research reports on this website.

Maintaining protected areas

Some areas, due to their richness of wildlife, geology or landscape are granted “protected” status.

These include National Nature Reserves (NNRs) such as Ynyslas, Newport Wetlands or Coed Dolgarrog in the Conwy valley and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), the largest being the Berwyn mountain range to the east of Bala.

National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) are also included, as are the three National Trails in Wales.

Much of the land that has “protected” status is owned by individuals, local authorities or voluntary organisations. So we work with owners and occupiers of the land to ensure that the wildlife or geological value of their sites are retained and enhanced. CCW has an initiative – the Special Sites Project – that aims to create a healthy series of nationally important sites.

Promoting enjoyment for all

From the experienced hiker meticulously planning an adventurous trip – or the casual ambler who is just after a bit of fresh air, CCW strives to make sure that everyone has the information they need to help them enjoy the countryside and coast. A dedicated map resource that looks at where you can go or what activities you can enjoy has been developed.

Working with others

We take every opportunity to work with others on joint projects. Partnership projects range from joint educational activities, to major engineering projects to regulate water levels on wetlands.

Many joint projects are funded by CCW grants, enabling others to use their special skills and understanding of local communities to carry out environmental tasks on our behalf.

CCW’s Operational Plan

In our Annual Operational Plan you can see how we will deliver the outcomes on the areas of work identified above. We do this through three major programmes of work:

• Action for Wildlife and Landscapes
  To safeguard and enhance Wales’ natural environment and distinctive landscapes, both within and outside of protected areas.
• Action for People, Economy and the Environment
  To encourage more people to experience and learn about the natural environment, to understand and value the different benefits it provides for society and to become actively involved in helping to care for it.
• Managing for the Future
  To ensure that we have the right structure, people, systems, process and resources in place so that we can be a high performing and well respected organisation at all times.