Our response to the coronavirus pandemic

Last updated 11 January 2021

Visiting our woodlands and nature reserves

Our visitor centres and cafés are currently closed.

The car parks, trails, play areas and toilets in most of our woodlands and nature reserves are open. Under the current coronavirus restrictions in Wales, this is intended only for the use of people who live locally.

Welsh Government's COVID-19 regulations state that exercise should start and finish from home. You should not drive to a location away from home. Where there is a legitimate reason to travel, such as a specific health condition or mobility issue, you should only drive to the nearest convenient, accessible location.

Our mountain bike trails are only open for people who do not need to drive to access them.

If using any of our sites to exercise, you should do so alone or with members of your household or support bubble.

When visiting our woodlands, remember to follow the Welsh Government rules that apply to everyone living or travelling in Wales and:

• avoid driving to any of our sites, unless you have a legitimate reason to do so
• exercise alone or with members of your household or support bubble
• plan ahead
• keep your distance
• park responsibly
• be patient and respectful
• follow the Countryside Code

Find out what's open at your local woodland or nature reserve. 

Changes to how we’re working

Most of our staff are working from home. We continue to visit sites to collect data during significant environmental incidents and deal with issues of the highest environmental and public risk.

We are adapting to different ways of working and supporting our staff but we are mindful that our service capacity may be affected. 

We will update this page with news on how our services have been affected and post updates on our Facebook page and our Twitter account.

Environmental regulations

We expect businesses and individuals to continue to comply with environmental regulations and their permit conditions. This includes developing contingency plans and putting appropriate measures in place to ensure that all reasonable actions are taken to foresee and mitigate any potential issues.

If a regulated business or individual is facing problems complying with their permit conditions as a direct result of the exceptional circumstances we currently face, then they should:

• inform us of the issues and how they are being managed as early as possible
• prioritise compliance with those permit conditions that directly protect the environment
• take all practicable alternative measures to prevent and minimise any harm to the environment or risks to public health
• keep clear and comprehensive records of the decision made and actions taken

If regulated business and individuals follow these guidelines we will take a proportionate and reasonable approach to how we assess compliance during this public health emergency. We will work with operators to find the best solutions to safeguarding the environment and helping businesses adapt in these challenging circumstances.

We will continue to check and assess compliance in a number of ways including phone calls, focused visits to priority sites and using a range of alternative methods for gathering intelligence.

We have published temporary regulatory decisions to help deal with issues arising directly from the coronavirus pandemic.

Regulatory decisions

We have published temporary regulatory decisions to help deal with issues arising directly from the coronavirus pandemic.

These will help minimise risks to the environment and human health where, for reasons beyond your control, compliance with certain regulatory requirements may not be possible due to coronavirus.

They also cover specific circumstances where we are relaxing normal regulatory requirements. This is to avoid increasing risks to the environment or human health during the particular circumstances of the coronavirus outbreak.

Each regulatory decision sets out when they apply and the conditions you must comply with. You must still comply with all of your other environmental regulatory requirements.

If you wish to use a coronavirus regulatory decision you must comply with both its:

• specific conditions – including any requirements to notify us or get our approval to use it
• requirements concerning pollution and harm to human health

If you do this, we will not normally take enforcement action against you.

Agriculture

Spreading waste milk on agricultural land - Following a review this regulatory decision is no longer applicable.

Water abstraction

• Water abstraction returns

Waste management

Read our regulatory decisions for waste management:

• signing waste documentation 
• waste storage limits
• packaging producer obligations
• technical competence 
• restarting private sewage treatment works
• disposing of waste beverages
• waste carrier copy cards

Monitoring and reporting

Read our regulatory decisions for monitoring and reporting:

• monitoring and reporting emissions
• noise monitoring

Species licensing

• Surveys

Reservoirs

Read our regulatory decisions for reservoirs

Event cancellations

Some organisations host events at our sites. We do not take part in the organisation of these events so we are not able to help with updates on these.

Please contact the event organiser directly if you would like to know if there are changes to an event you are attending.

Guidance for land and site managers

We have been working with our partners to write guidance for managers of natural and outdoor cultural sites. This will help with preparations to open and operate sites as safely as possible when Welsh Government advises it is safe to do so.

The guidance is advisory and will be regularly updated in line with the latest Welsh Government advice, and as the evidence and our experience of coronavirus grows.

This is intended to complement the wider suite of information published by Welsh Government to help prepare for the easing of restrictions.

Our forestry operations

We're continuing with our harvesting operations to assist the supply of wood products.

All of our forestry sites are subject to strict checks to ensure that we are operating within current Government guidelines on coronavirus and social distancing measures.

We remain in close contact with Public Health Wales. We are keeping our procedures under review to help our staff, contractors, customers and partners stay safe.

Felling licence applications and Environment Impact Screening

We are processing felling licence applications and Environment Impact Screening Requests as normal. We aim to complete these in the standard timescales. If there are delays with your application we will keep you informed and may request additional time to make our determination.

We are not carrying out site visits for these applications unless there is an essential reason i.e. a significant environmental concern. If a site visit is required, we will follow the Government guidance on social distancing. We would not expect to meet site managers, but we will contact them in advance to ensure we can conduct it safely.

Our licensing staff are working from home and can be contacted via email on fellinglicence@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk.

Financial support for our suppliers and tenants

Welsh Government have set up hardship relief measures for suppliers during the coronavirus pandemic.

We have reviewed the options available and developed a commercial activity policy note for our supplier and tenants. This explains what supplier relief is available from us and if any changes to existing agreements can be made.

How to process application forms

Our staff from across the organisation are working from home wherever possible. This means we can't accept paper application forms at this time.

You will be able to submit forms electronically and if required you can make payments via BACS.

• If you have problems accessing any permitting application forms, please email permitreceiptcentre@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk.
• If you have problems accessing any other forms please email enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk.

Whilst we hope to keep disruption to a minimum, please be aware there may be a longer processing time while we adapt to new ways of working.

Environmental permitting consultations

We will continue to advertise and consult on permit applications as normal. The timing of each consultation is determined by the legislation, once an application is made.

For high public interest applications we will consider if we need to change how we consult people. This will be arranged on a case by case basis and communicated on through our normal channels.

If you want to submit a response to a consultation during this time please email permittingconsultations@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk.

Development Planning Advice Service

• We are still processing planning consultations but we may take longer to provide advice and may exceed our normal published service standards.
• We have re-commenced the delivery of our normal Discretionary Planning Advice where resources allow, and there is no risk of adverse effect on our ability to deliver our statutory service.
• Our availability to undertake a site visit will be determined on a case by case basis, and subject to an adequate risk-assessment. Requests for site-visits should be submitted by email.
• Our staff are still working from home. Please submit any query or consultations via email and not by post.

For projects in Pembrokeshire, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Carmarthenshire, Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend please email swplanning@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk.

For projects in Cardiff, Newport, Vale of Glamorgan, Rhondda Cynon Tâf, Torfaen, Monmouthshire, Brecon Beacons National Park, Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil please email southeastplanning@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk.

For projects in Gwynedd, Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Wrexham, Powys, Ceredigion, Snowdonia National Park please email northplanning@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk.

Increasing burial capacity

If you manage a cemetery and need to increase burial capacity please discuss this with us before you begin any work.

We will be able provide advice on the suitability of the site and work with you to prevent or limit groundwater pollution.

All potential sites will need to be environmentally screened and risk assessed. Detailed guidance on groundwater protection and producing a risk assessment can be found on the Gov.uk website:

• Cemeteries and burials: prevent groundwater pollution
• Cemeteries and burials: groundwater risk assessment
• Groundwater protection position statements

Analytical services

Recent events have significantly impacted our staffing levels within our analytical services teams. We are making every effort to meet our analytical commitments, but these may be affected at this time.

We continue to attempt to deliver all existing and agreed analysis. To be able to do this, we have decided to decline any new commercial work until further notice.

This decision hasn’t been taken lightly but we need to ensure we offer realistic expectations to our customers. We appreciate that this may cause you disruption. We apologise and thank you for your ongoing patience and understanding in these difficult times.

If you have concerns then please email our analytical services. Our usual response times could be impacted by current events.

Education resources

• Learning resource and activity sheets
• Our library at Maes y Ffynnon is also closed to the public.

Dee conservancy

• Notice to mariners