A quarter of Wales – our most treasured mountains, valleys, coasts, farms and communities – lies within Designated Landscapes. These are not remote, untouched spaces. They are living, working places where decisions made today will shape the wellbeing of future generations.
From food production and flood resilience to tourism, renewable energy and cultural identity, the future of these landscapes is inseparable from the future of Wales itself. As climate change accelerates and nature declines, these protected places are becoming vital spaces for innovation, collaboration and long term thinking.
That’s where Tirweddau Cymru comes in.
Tirweddau Cymru is the partnership of Wales’ three National Park Authorities and five National Landscapes. We provide a single, shared voice for Designated Landscapes and a practical and powerful delivery network for action on nature recovery, climate resilience, sustainable tourism and vibrant rural communities.
Wales’ Designated Landscapes are not just beautiful places to visit. They are national assets that can help tackle some of the biggest issues facing the country: uniquely positioned as trusted partners and conveners of place-based delivery across a range of sectors, from biodiversity to preventative health.
Delivery That Makes a Difference
Capital and community grant investment in Designated Landscapes has already enabled progress on decarbonisation, access improvements and nature recovery:
Supporting Farmers and Rural Communities: Through Ffermio Bro (Farming in Designated Landscapes), we work directly with farmers and landowners through a network of local advisors to support sustainable food production, strengthen rural businesses and deliver local projects that benefit nature and communities. This is practical, trusted support rooted in local knowledge.
Restoring Nature: Designated Landscapes hold many of Wales’ most important habitats. We’re scaling up habitat restoration, species recovery and targeted grants to help restore nature.
Building Climate Resilience: From peatlands to coastlines and river catchments, we’re delivering real climate action with nature-based solutions — reducing flood risk, restoring carbon rich habitats and helping vulnerable rural areas adapt to a changing climate.
Decarbonisation of our landscapes: We support appropriate renewable energy, community energy schemes and low carbon visitor travel, including EV infrastructure. This helps cut emissions while strengthening local economies.
A Natural Health Service – Improving Health and Wellbeing for Everyone: Access to nature matters. We’re improving trails, active travel routes, inclusive outdoor and visitor experiences that support physical and mental wellbeing for people of all ages.
Heartlands of Welsh Language, Culture and Creative Inspiration: Our landscapes are the foundation of Welsh identity. We help sustain Welsh as a living language and protect and celebrate the cultural and historic environments that make Wales unique.
A Thriving Visitor Economy: Wales’ visitor economy depends on healthy thriving landscapes. We help manage popular destinations, support green skills and safeguard the natural assets that communities and visitors rely on.
Strengthening Rural Resilience and Social Impact: we play a key role in helping rural communities adapt and thrive by supporting local skills, community initiatives and strong connections to place. We create lasting social impact by sustaining livelihoods, reducing isolation and improving access to opportunities, while bringing people together to collaborate and shape a more sustainable future.
Inspiring Young People and Expanding Opportunity: we support young people through inclusive outdoor learning, using initiatives like Tirlun to build confidence, resilience and connection to place while helping tackle barriers linked to child poverty.
There is a shared ambition to ensure every child in Wales can experience a National Park or National Landscape before leaving primary school, opening up opportunities for wellbeing, learning and a more equitable future.
Working Together for Wales’ Future
We look forward to working with Welsh government, partners and communities to deliver ambitiously and together across shared priorities, including nature recovery, stronger climate resilience, community benefits from the green transition and sustainable tourism in our most visited places.