New habitat and species assessment urges Wales to unite for nature’s recovery

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is calling for urgent, collective action across all sectors to help some of Wales’ most important habitats and species recover, as it publishes the first full Wales-wide assessment of their conservation status.

The report published today, (22 January 2026), provides a clearer, more detailed picture of the state of some of our most threatened species and habitats in Wales than ever before. It integrates information on habitats and non-bird species of international significance and all birds in Wales, providing a comprehensive account of their trends, pressures and conservation measures.

The evidence establishes an essential benchmark for efforts to halt biodiversity and nature loss, and forms a key evidence source feeding into Wales’ State of Natural Resources Report (SoNaRR 2025) 

The report reveals that many of Wales’ most important habitats and species remain in poor condition, underlining the scale of the challenge ahead. However, the report emphasises that habitat and species recovery is possible, and that by acting together now, Wales can secure a nature-rich, climate-resilient future.

Key findings include:

• Of 61 habitats assessed, only two were found to be in favourable condition when considered in their entirety across Wales, while nearly 80% of habitats are classed as “unfavourable-bad,”
• Among 53 non-bird species, just 14 are in favourable condition, while 16 - including Atlantic salmon - are in serious decline.
• For marine species, (not including marine birds), four are in favourable condition, while others remain poorly understood.
• 16 species - including the Marsh Fritillary butterfly and iconic plants such as the Fen Orchid – have experienced steep declines
• While several bird species are declining nationally, some have significantly increased in Wales over the past two decades, including the Atlantic Puffin
• Key pressures across habitats and species include agriculture, climate change, pollution and urban development, with additional impacts from disease on birds and water‑related pressures on fish.
  
  

Analyses of habitats and species of international conservation significance draws on evidence from long-running monitoring programmes, independent research, and citizen science. It examines range, population trends, habitat quality and long-term prospects, alongside the pressures that continue to drive decline.

From climate change to pollution and disease, the complexity of the pressures facing our habitats and species mean that solutions must be aligned, long-term, and delivered collectively.

Despite the scale of the challenge, the assessment also shows that targeted, partnership-led action can deliver results.

Working together, we and our partners are:

• Delivering peatland restoration, exceeding national targets and safeguarding millions of tonnes of carbon
• Advancing bird population recovery through initiatives such as the Wales Curlew Action Plan and  the Welsh Seabird Conservation Strategy
• Successfully restoring fen orchid, shore dock, natterjack toad, and sand lizard through species reintroductions programmes and targeted habitat management, while freshwater pearl mussel recovery is underway.
• Improving and connecting habitats and strengthening the resilience of species across Wales through the £26.6million Welsh Government funded Nature Networks programme.
• Restoring rivers, woodlands and dunes through Nature Networks, the Upper Wye River Restoration Project and LIFE projects
• Working in partnership with environmental charities through the flagship Natur am Byth species recovery programme to deliver the country’s largest natural heritage and outreach initiative, focused on saving species from extinction
• Published Species in Peril, a groundbreaking study identifying nearly 3,000 Welsh species found in only a handful of places and highlighting that simple, cost-effective action now can help secure their future.

These successes demonstrate that when the evidence is clear and action is aligned, nature can respond.

Mary Lewis, Head of Natural Resource Management Policy at NRW, said:

This report paints a sobering picture of nature in Wales. 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.

We are already working with partners - from farmers and land managers to local authorities, communities, organisations and government - to restore habitats, improve river health, support nature-friendly farming through the Sustainable Farming Scheme, and contribute to delivering the commitment to protect and sustainably 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.

By acting together now, we can secure a nature-rich, climate-resilient Wales that supports the wellbeing of current and future generations.

The learning and data from this report is being used to inform NRW’s State of Natural Resources Report, which is due to be launched next week (29 January 2026).

Read the report here: Natural Resources Wales / Habitats Regulations 9A Report for Wales 2019-2024