Nature conservation

There is a great diversity of habitats within Swansea, ranging from coastal cliffs, sand dunes and estuaries, to upland moorland, heaths and grasslands, and woodlands and wetlands.

These habitats support a wide range of flora and fauna, including some of the country's rarest and most threatened species.

Nature locally and further afield provides important ecosystem services such as the provision of food and water, flood control, and health and well-being benefits to those who live in and visit Swansea. As well as being precious in itself, it is also vital that we protect, conserve and enhance nature in Swansea so that we can continue to benefit from it, now and into the future.

The Nature Conservation Team cover wide-ranging responsibilities, with the main aim to deliver nature recovery across the city and county of Swansea. Roles that the team undertake include: management of council-owned, international, national and locally important wildlife sites; planning ecology; supporting and enabling the delivery of nature recovery and green infrastructure projects; community engagement; encouraging volunteering; and co-ordinating local partnerships.

Together, the team advise on, co-ordinate and deliver plans, policies and actions to enable the council and other organisations to maintain and enhance biodiversity and promote the resilience of ecosystems.

Nature in Swansea

Swansea has a wide variety of nature for you to explore.

Actions for nature

How we are helping nature and what you can do to help.

Nature events and volunteering

Taking part in outdoor events and volunteering is a great way to learn new skills, connect with people, get active, improve your physical and mental well-being and enjoy yourself! All while helping the environment at the same time.

Nature strategies and plans

Our strategies and plans that aid nature recovery.

Planning, biodiversity and nature conservation

How our planning guidance and policies help with biodiversity and nature conservation.

Nature conservation of trees

What we are doing to protect trees across Swansea.

Ecosystem resilience

An ecosystem is a group of living things (animals, plants and fungi, including people) that live in and interact with each other in an environment.

Protected sites in Swansea

'Protected sites' are areas of land or sea (or sometimes both) that are protected for the environment.

City nature trail

The City Nature trail enables you to explore some of the ways Swansea businesses, the council and Natural Resources Wales are working together to create space for nature. Some of the sites you can visit, others are not open to the public, but all are open to wildlife!