Biodiversity of Wales

Part of a series on the
Biodiversity of Wales
Biota Flora Fauna List of birds
Conservation Special Areas of Conservation
Organisations Wildlife Trusts Gwent Wildlife Trust Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust North Wales Wildlife Trust Radnorshire Wildlife Trust Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales Brecknock Wildlife Trust (former)
Areas Local nature reserves National nature reserves Protected areas National parks AONBs Habitats of principal importance
Laws Wildlife law in England and Wales Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
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The biodiversity of Wales is the wide variety of ecosystems, living organisms, and the genetic makeups found in Wales.^[1]

Wales is a predominantly mountainous peninsula located between England and the Irish Sea, covering 8,023 square miles. It has terrestrial habitats and many protected areas rich in biodiversity, including three national parks and five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The national parks being: Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire Coast, and Brecon Beacons, and the AONBs of: Anglesey, the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley, Gower Peninsula, Llŷn Peninsula, and Wye Valley (partially in England).^[2] Wales also has many locations categorised as Site of Special Scientific Interest, Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area and local nature reserve. There are many zoos and gardens, including the National Botanic Garden of Wales.^[1]

On the coast, a great diversity of species such as seals, dolphins, sharks, jellyfish, crabs and lobsters can be found. There are also seabird colonies on the islands near the coast.^[1] Species which can only be found in Wales are the Radnor lily and a type of fish, the gwyniad, only found in Bala Lake.^[1][3] The rare fen orchid (Liparis loeselii) is one of the most threatened species in northwestern Europe and has vanished from many places in Wales.^[4] The Welsh Government funds Natural Resources Wales (NRW), Plantlife, Bridgend County Borough Council and the Wales Biodiversity Partnership coastal ecosystem group to help reconstruct its natural habitat and secure the future of this threatened species.^[3][4]

The Welsh Government works closely with the Wales Biodiversity Partnership (WBP) which promotes and monitors the Wales biodiversity action plan. In 2010 the Welsh government launched a Natural Environment Framework, "A Living Wales", which focuses on sustainable land and marine management in Wales.^[5] The Environment (Wales) Act 2016 put into place a range of powers and duties designed to enable the natural resources of Wales to be planned and management in a more sustainable, pro-active and joined-up way than was previously possible.