National nature reserves in Wales

National nature reserves in Wales are selected and designated by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) (formerly the Countryside Council for Wales). There are 76 reserves all of which are also SSSIs, they cover 26,536 hectares (265.36 km²), or less than 1.5% of the land area of Wales. They range in size from Dan yr Ogof at 0.5 hectares (5,000 m²) to Berwyn which covers 7,920 hectares (79.2 km²) .^[1] A national nature reserve is designated because of its special biological, geological, habitat or landscape value and most in Wales are open to the public. They include upland and lowland areas, several offshore islands and in some cases estuarine and intertidal zones.^[2]

Management[edit]

Although the majority of sites are managed by NRW, a number are managed by other bodies, mainly in the public and wildlife charity sectors, including:

List of national nature reserves in Wales[edit]

Name	Location	Established	Area	Manager
Aberbargoed Grasslands	Caerphilly 51°41′10″N 3°12′40″W / 51.686°N 3.211°W / 51.686; -3.211	14 June 2012	42.28 hectares (104.5 acres)	Caerphilly County Borough Council
Allt Rhyd y Groes	Carmarthenshire 52°07′05″N 3°48′43″W / 52.118°N 3.812°W / 52.118; -3.812	24 February 1983	69.71 hectares (172.3 acres)	NRW
Allt y Benglog	Gwynedd 52°47′31″N 3°46′12″W / 52.792°N 3.770°W / 52.792; -3.770	26 April 1994	11.51 hectares (28.4 acres)	NRW
Berwyn	Denbighshire, Gwynedd, Powys 52°49′55″N 3°29′56″W / 52.832°N 3.499°W / 52.832; -3.499	18 March 1999	7,919.76 hectares (19,570.2 acres)	NRW
Cadair Idris	Gwynedd 52°41′38″N 3°53′46″W / 52.694°N 3.896°W / 52.694; -3.896	6 January 1983	436.76 hectares (1,079.3 acres)	NRW
Carmel	Carmarthenshire 51°49′37″N 4°02′28″W / 51.827°N 4.041°W / 51.827; -4.041	24 July 1999	85.19 hectares (210.5 acres)	NRW
Ceunant Cynfal	Gwynedd 52°57′04″N 3°55′37″W / 52.951°N 3.927°W / 52.951; -3.927	26 April 1994	2.73 hectares (6.7 acres)	NRW
Ceunant Llennyrch	Gwynedd 52°55′23″N 3°59′20″W / 52.923°N 3.989°W / 52.923; -3.989	19 March 2018	329.24 hectares (813.6 acres)	NRW
Claerwen	Ceredigion, Powys 52°18′18″N 3°43′01″W / 52.305°N 3.717°W / 52.305; -3.717	21 July 1994	793.40 hectares (1,960.5 acres)	NRW
Coed Camlyn	Gwynedd 52°56′17″N 3°59′35″W / 52.938°N 3.993°W / 52.938; -3.993	3 June 1969	63.57 hectares (157.1 acres)	NRW
Coed Cymerau	Gwynedd 52°57′58″N 3°57′18″W / 52.966°N 3.955°W / 52.966; -3.955	29 August 1992	26.30 hectares (65.0 acres)	NRW
Coed Dolgarrog	Conwy 53°10′59″N 3°50′46″W / 53.183°N 3.846°W / 53.183; -3.846	20 April 1959	67.37 hectares (166.5 acres)	NRW
Coed Ganllwyd	Gwynedd 52°48′00″N 3°53′42″W / 52.800°N 3.895°W / 52.800; -3.895	2 April 1963	23.57 hectares (58.2 acres)	National Trust
Coed Gorswen	Conwy 53°13′12″N 3°51′58″W / 53.220°N 3.866°W / 53.220; -3.866	20 April 1959	13.57 hectares (33.5 acres)	NRW
Coed Rheidol	Ceredigion 52°23′10″N 3°52′16″W / 52.386°N 3.871°W / 52.386; -3.871	7 February 1994	165.91 hectares (410.0 acres)	NRW
Coed Tremadog	Gwynedd 52°56′24″N 4°08′31″W / 52.940°N 4.142°W / 52.940; -4.142	18 April 1958	2.64 hectares (6.5 acres)	NRW
Coed y Cerrig	Monmouthshire 51°53′02″N 3°01′44″W / 51.884°N 3.029°W / 51.884; -3.029	12 February 1988	10.38 hectares (25.6 acres)	NRW
Coed y Rhygen	Gwynedd 52°54′50″N 3°57′54″W / 52.914°N 3.965°W / 52.914; -3.965	3 June 1969	27.78 hectares (68.6 acres)	NRW
Coedmor	Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire 52°03′47″N 4°37′59″W / 52.063°N 4.633°W / 52.063; -4.633	5 July 1991	46.12 hectares (114.0 acres)	NRW
Coedydd Aber	Gwynedd 53°13′05″N 4°00′07″W / 53.218°N 4.002°W / 53.218; -4.002	4 March 1982	166.46 hectares (411.3 acres)	NRW
Coedydd Maentwrog	Gwynedd 52°57′18″N 3°58′59″W / 52.955°N 3.983°W / 52.955; -3.983	26 April 1966	68.32 hectares (168.8 acres)	NRW
Cors Bodeilio	Anglesey 53°16′19″N 4°14′53″W / 53.272°N 4.248°W / 53.272; -4.248	22 Mawrth 2013	41.53 hectares (102.6 acres)	NRW
Cors Caron	Ceredigion 52°15′18″N 3°55′19″W / 52.255°N 3.922°W / 52.255; -3.922	22 January 1981	839.75 hectares (2,075.1 acres)	NRW
Cors Erddreiniog	Anglesey 53°18′43″N 4°17′49″W / 53.312°N 4.297°W / 53.312; -4.297	22 March 2013	250.26 hectares (618.4 acres)	NRW
Cors Geirch	Gwynedd 52°54′14″N 4°30′54″W / 52.904°N 4.515°W / 52.904; -4.515	22 March 2013	122.49 hectares (302.7 acres)	NRW
Cors Goch	Anglesey 53°18′22″N 4°15′22″W / 53.306°N 4.256°W / 53.306; -4.256	15 June 1995	52.72 hectares (130.3 acres)	North Wales Wildlife Trust
Cors Goch Llanllwch	Carmarthenshire 51°50′31″N 4°22′26″W / 51.842°N 4.374°W / 51.842; -4.374	23 July 1996	18.42 hectares (45.5 acres)	Wildlife Trust South and West Wales
Cors Gyfelog	Gwynedd 53°00′25″N 4°17′49″W / 53.007°N 4.297°W / 53.007; -4.297	22 March 2013	36.97 hectares (91.4 acres)	NRW
Cors y Llyn	Powys 52°11′13″N 3°26′28″W / 52.187°N 3.441°W / 52.187; -3.441	27 February 1987	25.12 hectares (62.1 acres)	NRW
Corsydd Llangloffan	Pembrokeshire 51°56′42″N 5°03′00″W / 51.945°N 5.050°W / 51.945; -5.050	5 July 1991	38.93 hectares (96.2 acres)	NRW
Craig Cerrig Gleisiad a Fan Frynych	Powys 51°53′28″N 3°31′05″W / 51.891°N 3.518°W / 51.891; -3.518	1 November 2002	488.38 hectares (1,206.8 acres)	NRW
Craig y Cilau	Powys 51°50′10″N 3°10′41″W / 51.836°N 3.178°W / 51.836; -3.178	23 September 1959	64.82 hectares (160.2 acres)	NRW
Crymlyn Bog & Pant y Sais	Neath Port Talbot, Swansea 51°37′59″N 3°52′59″W / 51.633°N 3.883°W / 51.633; -3.883	27 September 1991	130.83 hectares (323.3 acres)	NRW
Cwm Cadlan	Rhondda Cynon Taf 51°46′26″N 3°30′32″W / 51.774°N 3.509°W / 51.774; -3.509	3 March 2006	32.93 hectares (81.4 acres)	NRW
Cwm Clydach	Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire 51°48′18″N 3°08′06″W / 51.805°N 3.135°W / 51.805; -3.135	3 February 2012	30.65 hectares (75.7 acres)	NRW
Cwm Glas Crafnant	Conwy 53°07′12″N 3°53′31″W / 53.120°N 3.892°W / 53.120; -3.892	19 July 1960	15.02 hectares (37.1 acres)	NRW
Cwm Idwal	Conwy, Gwynedd 53°06′40″N 4°01′48″W / 53.111°N 4.030°W / 53.111; -4.030	24 November 1954	403.30 hectares (996.6 acres)	NRW
Dan yr Ogof	Powys 51°49′48″N 3°41′17″W / 51.830°N 3.688°W / 51.830; -3.688	2 April 2004	0.52 hectares (1.3 acres)	The National Showcaves Centre
Dinefwr Park	Carmarthenshire 51°52′44″N 4°00′58″W / 51.879°N 4.016°W / 51.879; -4.016	13 July 2007	224.53 hectares (554.8 acres)	National Trust
Dyfi	Ceredigion, Gwynedd 52°31′44″N 4°00′54″W / 52.529°N 4.015°W / 52.529; -4.015	24 November 1992	2,290.36 hectares (5,659.6 acres)	NRW
Fenn's, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses	Wrexham, Shropshire 52°55′37″N 2°45′43″W / 52.927°N 2.762°W / 52.927; -2.762	1 May 2021	583.94 hectares (1,442.9 acres)	Natural England
Fiddlers Elbow	Monmouthshire 51°49′16″N 2°41′10″W / 51.821°N 2.686°W / 51.821; -2.686	15 November 2017	28.34 hectares (70.0 acres)	Woodland Trust
Gower Coast	Swansea 51°33′32″N 4°16′52″W / 51.559°N 4.281°W / 51.559; -4.281	6 February 2002	92.17 hectares (227.8 acres)	National Trust
Grassholm Island	Pembrokeshire 51°43′52″N 5°28′44″W / 51.731°N 5.479°W / 51.731; -5.479	23 July 1996	10.77 hectares (26.6 acres)	RSPB
Gregynog	Powys 52°33′58″N 3°21′07″W / 52.566°N 3.352°W / 52.566; -3.352	6 March 2013	214.17 hectares (529.2 acres)	University of Wales
Hafod Elwy Moor	Denbighshire 53°05′38″N 3°34′19″W / 53.094°N 3.572°W / 53.094; -3.572	5 October 1999	82.96 hectares (205.0 acres)	NRW
Hafod Garregog	Gwynedd 52°58′41″N 4°05′02″W / 52.978°N 4.084°W / 52.978; -4.084	15 April 1987	86.70 hectares (214.2 acres)	National Trust
Kenfig Pool and Dunes	Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot 51°31′23″N 3°44′31″W / 51.523°N 3.742°W / 51.523; -3.742	23 May 1989	513.72 hectares (1,269.4 acres)	NRW
Lady Park Wood (EN)	Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire 51°49′37″N 2°39′29″W / 51.827°N 2.658°W / 51.827; -2.658	21 November 1985	37.86 hectares (93.6 acres)	Forestry Commission (England)
Llyn Eiddwen	Ceredigion 52°16′55″N 4°02′38″W / 52.282°N 4.044°W / 52.282; -4.044	23 July 1996	11.53 hectares (28.5 acres)	Wildlife Trust South and West Wales
Maes-y-Facrell, Pen y Gogarth	Conwy 53°19′41″N 3°50′46″W / 53.328°N 3.846°W / 53.328; -3.846	26 February 2009	5.22 hectares (12.9 acres)	NRW
Merthyr Mawr Warren	Bridgend 51°28′48″N 3°38′24″W / 51.480°N 3.640°W / 51.480; -3.640	3 July 2002	324.23 hectares (801.2 acres)	NRW
Morfa Dyffryn	Gwynedd 52°47′56″N 4°08′06″W / 52.799°N 4.135°W / 52.799; -4.135	18 January 1962	197.37 hectares (487.7 acres)	NRW
Morfa Harlech	Gwynedd 52°53′53″N 4°07′19″W / 52.898°N 4.122°W / 52.898; -4.122	9 October 1981	880.73 hectares (2,176.3 acres)	NRW
Nant Irfon	Powys 52°10′23″N 3°41′49″W / 52.173°N 3.697°W / 52.173; -3.697	8 December 1983	137.57 hectares (339.9 acres)	NRW
Newborough Warren & Ynys Llanddwyn	Anglesey 53°09′07″N 4°22′23″W / 53.152°N 4.373°W / 53.152; -4.373	2 December 1992	1,556.43 hectares (3,846.0 acres)	NRW
Newport Wetlands	Newport 51°32′13″N 2°56′28″W / 51.537°N 2.941°W / 51.537; -2.941	16 April 2008	865.72 hectares (2,139.2 acres)	NRW
Ogof Ffynnon Ddu	Powys 51°49′34″N 3°38′35″W / 51.826°N 3.643°W / 51.826; -3.643	1 Mawrh 1993	417.97 hectares (1,032.8 acres)	NRW
Oxwich	Swansea 51°33′58″N 4°09′14″W / 51.566°N 4.154°W / 51.566; -4.154	15 November 2017	228.49 hectares (564.6 acres)	NRW
Pengelli Forest	Pembrokeshire 52°01′08″N 4°43′34″W / 52.019°N 4.726°W / 52.019; -4.726	27 July 1995	65.94 hectares (162.9 acres)	Wildlife Trust South and West Wales
Penhow Woodlands	Monmouthshire, Newport 51°36′25″N 2°50′20″W / 51.607°N 2.839°W / 51.607; -2.839	15 November 1984	24.04 hectares (59.4 acres)	NRW
Ramsey	Pembrokeshire 51°51′54″N 5°20′24″W / 51.865°N 5.340°W / 51.865; -5.340	23 July 1996	281.56 hectares (695.7 acres)	RSPB
Rhinog	Gwynedd 52°50′24″N 3°59′06″W / 52.840°N 3.985°W / 52.840; -3.985	1 December 1970	592.39 hectares (1,463.8 acres)	NRW
Rhos Goch	Powys 52°07′37″N 3°10′30″W / 52.127°N 3.175°W / 52.127; -3.175	27 February 1987	45.21 hectares (111.7 acres)	NRW
Rhos Llawr Cwrt	Ceredigion 52°07′19″N 4°19′08″W / 52.122°N 4.319°W / 52.122; -4.319	24 November 1992	58.73 hectares (145.1 acres)	NRW
Roundton Hill	Powys 52°32′49″N 3°02′31″W / 52.547°N 3.042°W / 52.547; -3.042	31 May 2000	33.45 hectares (82.7 acres)	Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust
Skokholm	Pembrokeshire 51°41′49″N 5°16′37″W / 51.697°N 5.277°W / 51.697; -5.277	6 December 2008	98.49 hectares (243.4 acres)	Wildlife Trust South and West Wales
Skomer	Pembrokeshire 51°44′10″N 5°17′35″W / 51.736°N 5.293°W / 51.736; -5.293	2 April 1963	306.56 hectares (757.5 acres)	Wildlife Trust South and West Wales
Stackpole	Pembrokeshire 51°36′54″N 4°54′58″W / 51.615°N 4.916°W / 51.615; -4.916	8 March 1995	232.79 hectares (575.2 acres)	NRW and National Trust
Stanner Rocks	Powys 52°13′08″N 3°04′44″W / 52.219°N 3.079°W / 52.219; -3.079	18 February 1981	5.42 hectares (13.4 acres)	NRW
Tŷ Canol	Pembrokeshire 51°59′49″N 4°46′44″W / 51.997°N 4.779°W / 51.997; -4.779	22 September 1986	70.11 hectares (173.2 acres)	NRW
Waun Las	Carmarthenshire 51°50′31″N 4°08′13″W / 51.842°N 4.137°W / 51.842; -4.137	7 August 2008	150.14 hectares (371.0 acres)	National Botanic Garden of Wales
Whiteford	Swansea 51°38′02″N 4°14′35″W / 51.634°N 4.243°W / 51.634; -4.243	26 April 1966	806.05 hectares (1,991.8 acres)	NRW and National Trust
Ynys Enlli	Gwynedd 52°45′32″N 4°47′24″W / 52.759°N 4.790°W / 52.759; -4.790	24 March 1986	178.64 hectares (441.4 acres)	Bardsey Island Trust
Yr Eifl	Gwynedd 52°58′08″N 4°25′52″W / 52.969°N 4.431°W / 52.969; -4.431	22 March 2013	39.25 hectares (97.0 acres)	NRW
Yr Wyddfa	Gwynedd 53°03′29″N 4°02′56″W / 53.058°N 4.049°W / 53.058; -4.049	26 April 1966	1,671.76 hectares (4,131.0 acres)	NRW