Working for Natur am Byth!

The ‘Natur am Byth!’ partnership[i] unites nine environmental charities and Natural Resources Wales to deliver the country’s largest natural heritage and outreach programme to save species from extinction and reconnect people to nature.

Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Welsh Government, never before has a partnership of so many voluntary organisations and the Welsh statutory environment body worked together in this way to tackle the nature emergency. The 10 ‘core’ partners are Amphibian & Reptile Conservation; Bat Conservation Trust; Buglife; Bumblebee Conservation Trust; Butterfly Conservation; Plantlife; Marine Conservation Society; Natural Resources Wales; RSPB Cymru; Vincent Wildlife Trust. Many other organisations, communities and landowners are working with the project to enable plans for conservation and engagement activity across Wales.

The programme has to happen now to tackle the nature emergency and support community wellbeing with connection to nature. Skills development is leading to a new wave of nature ambassadors and each project in the programme celebrates ‘Cynefin’ – the distinct natural heritage that underpins communities across Wales. The £8m funding from Natur am Byth is injecting much needed capacity into the natural heritage sector in Wales, building organisational resilience to demonstrate how to save threatened species.

[i] ‘Natur am Byth!’ translates into English as ‘Nature Forever!’ referencing the popular phrase ‘Cymru am Byth / Wales Forever’ that resounds across rugby pitches and national events in Wales.