8 Wetland Futures Report 2013: The Value of Healthy Wetlands
Wetlands in Wales: key challenges for Natural Resources Wales
Chris Uttley, Water management advisor, Natural Resources, Wales
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Natural Resources Wales
brings together the
Countryside Council for Wales, Environment Agency
Wales, Forestry Commission Wales, as well as some
functions of Welsh Government (e.g. marine licensing)
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Tailored to meet the unique needs of Wales
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Wales faces many challenges – for people,
communities, economy, environment & wildlife.
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Meeting these challenges needs new ways of
thinking and new ways of doing things:
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Includes securing energy supply, provision of jobs,
tackling the threats of climate change and flooding,
improving people’s health and wellbeing
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And how we maintain, improve and use our natural
resources
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We have an opportunity to radically change the
approach to natural resource management in Wales
– taking a more ecosystems approach. By unlocking
the potential that lies within its resources, by
managing them and using them in a more joined up
and integrated way, wider benefits can be delivered,
and can help to meet the challenges we face.
Wales and wetlands
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Wetland habitats cover in excess of 10% of Wales,
with blanket bog and wet grasslands being the main
land cover types. There are also extensive heavily
modified areas, including conifers on deep peat and
deep drained floodplains.
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The dual challenge is to manage what we already
have but to seek opportunities for restoration and
expansion and to improve connectivity and ecosystem
resilience within an ecosystem services agenda.
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We have a lot of information on the services wetlands
can provide, although quantifying these relative to
other possible land management options within a
geographical area is a formidable challenge and a
need for better tools.
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Major problems in Wales remain dereliction
(agricultural abandonment) and diffuse nutrient
enrichment. Existing mechanisms are not ideal for
tackling either but there have been major recent
successes with funding delivered through frameworks
such as the Welsh Government Resilient Ecosystems
Fund via the
Wales Wetlands Ecosystem Group
and the Water Framework Directive.
Our long term outcomes
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Enhancing our environment
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Protecting people
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Supporting enterprise and jobs
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Improving the nation’s health
