Skip to main content

do_not_email@ccw.gov.uk

Search CCW

Text Size A - Standard text A - Large text A - Extra large text

Listen to page

Colour contrast:

Contents

Landscape & wildlife

Natural Resources Wales (NRW)

Natural Resources Wales logo

From 01 April 2013, Natural Resources Wales will take over the functions currently carried out by the Countryside Council for Wales and Forestry Commission Wales, the devolved functions of Environment Agency Wales and some functions that are currently carried out within the Welsh Government.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW)website.

Protecting our landscape

Looking west from Carn Fadryn Hill Fort, Photo ©CCW

We have some of the most diverse and appealing landscapes in the world. Well over a quarter of the land surface in Wales is protected because of its high quality landscapes.

Designated Sites Search
Use this search tool to find different site types [designations].

Official Maps Search
In addition to the official site maps, you can also access here official documents for each site.

Protected sites map
Areas of Outstanding Natural beauty, Marine Reserves, National Parks, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and more.

GIS Downloads
Mapping specialists unite! Download our latest geographical boundaries of the many protected sites in Wales...

Special landscapes and sites
30% of Wales' land and waters has been designated as 'special' - either by UK, European or International law.

National Nature Reserves
There are 71 National Nature Reserves (NNRs) in Wales.

Natura 2000 Management Plans
Core Management Plan and Unit Map(s)

Oxwich Bay NNR Gower, Photo ©CCW

Gripping geology

Once an important formation or landform is damaged or destroyed, we can never recreate it. The geological make-up of Wales is both varied and distinctive.

Cwm Idwal an Ogwen NNR, Cwm Idwal

Have you wondered how Wales was made
Begin your journey and discover ten important facts that will introduce you to the fascinating geological history of Wales.

Wales' journey through time
Incredibly, over hundreds of millions of years, Wales has wandered across the globe, nearly from pole to pole.

Volcanoes in Wales
The rock succession in Wales records several important phases of volcano development that occurred early in the country’s geological history.

The Ice Age in Wales
Wales was radically re-shaped during the last 2.5 million years by successive phases of glaciation that created many of the spectacular landscapes we see today.

Stackpole Cliffs, Photo ©CCW

Geoconservation
Geoconservation includes the protection of geological areas – geosites.
Geoparks
Wales’ geoparks - UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organisation) and the European Geoparks Network (EGN) recognise and promote geoparks.

Crib Goch, Gwynedd, Photo ©CCW

Habitat & species

Palmate Newt ©CCW

The licensing system

CCW has developed a licensing system, which provides an efficient service to customers and also helps us to monitor the status of protected species and often contributes to their conservation.

CCW also deals with licences to examine, ring or mark protected species or to kill, take or possess them for scientific, educational or conservation purposes.

European Protected Species
This note is intended to guide you through the legal permissions necessary if you are undertaking a development which will impact upon a terrestrial European Protected Species (EPS).

Wales has some of the most unusual species of animal you could imagine - whether in the ocean depth or skirting the lofty peaks of Snowdonia.

Llangorse Lake, Photo ©CCW

Priority species
We have a special responsibility to ensure that the requirements of our very rare species are understood

Habmap
The HABMAP project has produced working habitat maps of the seabed of the southern Irish Sea using novel predictive modelling techniques.

Plant for Wildlife
Garden Planner- Add some wildlife friendly plants in your garden and enjoy the colourful birds and insects that will come to visit.

Managing land and sea

Agriculture, housing developments, fishing, forestry, recreation and sport are all vital to prosperity in Wales. But the increased demands we make of our land and seas mean our environment is under pressure.

Regulation 35 Advice
Marine SAC and SPA conservation objectives

Sea Fishing Atlas for Wales
has been compiled by CCW from information collected over the years from various sources. It includes maps of general fishing patterns, regulations and competent authorities around Wales.

Environmental Assessment
Statutory and non-statutory Environmental Assessment processes

The Atlas of Marine Mammals of Wales
The Sea Watch Foundation have produced ‘The Atlas of Marine Mammals of Wales’ on behalf of CCW.

The Snowdon ECN Site
The UK Environmental Change Network (ECN) is the UK's long-term, integrated environmental monitoring and research programme.

FishMap Môn
is a project aiming to help achieve the vision of the Wales Fisheries Strategy which is to “support the development of viable and sustainable fisheries in Wales as an integral part of coherent policies for safeguarding the environment”.

Marine Evidence Directory
Marine data in a spatial form - Each chapter in the Directory describes the individual dataset, highlights its value in a conservation and environmental planning context, and provides guidance on its use.