The adder, the shrill carder bee, purple saxifrage, bryoria lichen, chough and lesser horseshoe bat are among the species at greatest risk of extinction in Wales.

Headed up by Natural Resources Wales, this is one of the most ambitious conservation programmes ever undertaken in Wales. It will also create 20 jobs and many opportunities for people to reconnect with nature in their neighbourhood through volunteering.

Andrew White, Director of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Wales said: “Natur am Byth is an ambitious, exciting, and important project which will help habitats, species and people thrive together.”

Our funding will help allow:

• partnership work with organisations including Amphibian & Reptile Conservation, the Bat Conservation Trust, Buglife, the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Butterfly Conservation, Plantlife, the Marine Conservation Society, RSPB Cymru and the Vincent Wildlife Trust
• the project to run over four years at 11 locations across Wales to tackle the root causes of species decline locally
• hundreds of landowners and community volunteers to deliver positive change for nature recovery and for people in their areas

Clare Pillman, CEO of Natural Resources Wales, said: “Never before has a partnership of so many voluntary organisations and Natural Resources Wales worked together in this way to tackle the nature emergency. This will protect nature by bringing together expert scientific knowledge, local networks and unparalleled experience in engaging local communities and key stakeholders.”