Your responsibility for a Resilient Wales What you can do

The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act sets out 7 goals to improve Wales’s social, economic, cultural and environmental well-being. One of these goals is for a Resilient Wales which focuses on the natural environment and the challenges we are facing and this factsheet will explain why it is relevant to your organisation. There are simple, cost-effective steps that you can take to do your bit for a Resilient Wales which will also save money, improve staff and volunteer morale and contribute to healthier and vibrant communities.

Why do we need a resilient Wales?

Studies show that nature plays a major role in safeguarding our health and our social and economic well-being. Did you know that...?

The Well-being of Future Spending time in nature Customers are prepared Generations (Wales) Act is provides protection to pay more for parking against a range of and goods in landscaped a ground-breaking piece of diseases, including, shopping areas. legislation that requires diabetes, obesity and public bodies in Wales to cancer and can alleviate Time spent in nature work together towards the symptoms of boosts levels of social 7 inter-related goals to depression and ADHD. contact and enhances improve Wales’s social, social ties especially economic, cultural and The psychological benefits within disadvantaged environmental well-being. of plants (including office communities. There is a requirement on all plants) make people feel public bodies to set objectives less stressed, 15% more Areas with a high quality productive and 40% more natural environment act to help reach these goals and satisfied with their work. like a catalyst for economic to take all reasonable steps to development. meet these objectives. Students with greater “exposure to greenness Wales has a multi-million There is more information show better academic pound tourist industry about the Act at performance”. that relies on thriving wcva.org.uk/WFGA wildlife and a high quality Workers who can see a environment. green environment from their desks experience 23% less time off sick.

The survival of older people increases where there is more accessible greenspace space near their homes. How to make a difference Delivering a Resilient Wales

Incorporating nature into your organisation’s premises and decision-making can be simpler than you think. Large or small, inside or outside, most organisations have areas where small changes can be made to make them nature-friendly. There are also many organisations with free or low-cost resources that will be happy to support you to do this. You can encourage your colleagues and volunteers to experience and benefit from nature in many ways:

Manage your land and Include opportunities to Think about how you buildings for biodiversity; get outside and engage can bring nature into contact Environet for with nature during your your workplace, from advice on how to do this. away days - playing a hanging basket to in nature strengthens landscaping – and Make an effort to leave resources to cope with make this part of your your desk at lunch time stress and contributes organisation’s corporate and seek out local green towards creativity, facilities management. space to remember why social cooperation nature is important and to and concentration. Take advantage of recharge and relax – 94% Wales’s fantastic wildlife; of people report better Consider creative and it will inspire you, physical and mental health practical activities such as your colleagues and after green exercise. making bird feeders or volunteers. learning about different Make venues with access trees or animals as half- Make your whole to green space your hour slots to break up organisation nature- default choice for external team meetings. friendly by considering meetings or events – this the impact on nature can boost creativity. If your organisation has of your everyday a policy for employee management decisions volunteering, make sure – from procurement it promotes opportunities to cleaning products. that let people get close to Including nature in your nature and enhance it. Environment Policy will help this to happen. Easy steps to delivering a Resilient Wales

Making space for nature in your workplace can be simple, cost-effective and extremely rewarding. Even flowerpots or hanging baskets can help wildlife with the right planting and care and a single tree can help future-proof your premises against climate change by providing shade, improving drainage and reducing pollutants. Feeders will attract birds and raised beds or pots in a car park can provide food for bees and butterflies. And don’t forget inside as studies show that potted plants can improve air quality, reduce stress and improve concentration and creativity – as well as absorbing greenhouse gases.

Tips for success And in return .... Taking action for nature will help towards the following benefits. Look for every opportunity to manage towards the following benefits. land for wildlife It will help demonstrate to Share your enthusiasm You will be demonstrating funders and stakeholders by finding like-minded global responsibility by that you have a holistic people – your plans are helping tackle issues such approach to sustainability more likely to succeed if as pollinator loss and are working towards you are part of a team to and biodiversity decline. the requirements of the share ideas and tasks. Well-being of Future You will be part of a Generations (Wales) Act. Be clear on roles i.e. who healthier and is watering the plants. happier team and a more It will deliver cost savings welcoming, therapeutic in terms of increased staff Get buy-in – your board or environment. and volunteer morale and management team can fewer sick days. offer great support and leadership. Just do it! Even small JUST changes can make DO IT ! a difference. Wildlife in Wales Where to draw inspiration 8 Wales has an abundance of wildlife including amazing 10 ospreys, red kites, the world’s largest Manx shearwater colony and the best place in Britain to see puffins and porpoises. The magic isn’t just restricted to spring and summer; there are amazing wildlife displays in autumn and winter with seal pups, the return of thousands of birds to our estuaries, and wonderful 4 3 5 autumnal woodland colours with golds, bronzes and reds. 7 10 2

10 Wales has 216 Wildlife Trust nature reserves, CARDIGAN over 4,000 sq km of National Park, and an 870-mile BAY Wales Coast Path where wildlife can thrive. 5 1 6

Here are just a few highlights: 9 7 5 1 Red kite - Around 2,000 4 of these magnificent birds 6 patrol the skies throughout 5 Dolphins - Wales, performing New Quay on 9 amazing acrobatics Cardigan Bay is overhead all year round. one of Europe’s best 10 places to see these 2 Osprey - These beautiful amazing marine mammals. birds travel from Africa 9 Otters - Wales has the to Wales to breed at the best otter-watching 6 Wildflower meadows - Wildlife Trust’s Cors Dyfi opportunities in Europe. Wales has some of the Nature Reserve, near The best time to see otters largest remaining areas Machynlleth. at Gilfach is from October of flower-rich grassland to December when otters and thousands of orchids 3 Rainforests - We’ve got come to the waterfalls to can be seen at the Wildlife some of the best examples chase the leaping salmon. of Atlantic oak woodland Trust’s Pentwyn Farm. in Europe, which date back 10 Wading Birds - 7 Grey seals - Autumn is an astonishing 10,000 internationally important the best time to see seal years and are home to populations of wading pups, notably on the rare plants, birds, bats birds use our estuaries as Wildlife Trust’s Skomer and and otters. wintering feeding stations Skokholm islands. and the best places 4 Puffins and Manx to see them are the 8 Terns - The lagoon at the shearwater - There are Severn, the Dee and Wildlife Trust’s Cemlyn an estimated 357,000 the Dyfi estuaries. breeding pairs of Manx Nature Reserve is home to breeding common and shearwater on the Wildlife Wildlife Trusts Trust’s Skomer and Arctic terns, and is one of Visitor Centres Skokholm islands. the UK’s largest nesting populations of Sandwich terns. You are part of an ecosystem Linking with nature

Wales faces a number of challenges now and in the future, such as climate change and the loss of biodiversity. Over 60% of the species we know about are in decline and many species are in danger of becoming extinct in Wales so any action you take can make a real difference. A healthy natural environment is essential to social and economic well-being and therefore one of the 7 goals set out in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act is for A Resilient Wales, which focuses on the natural environment.

A Resilient Wales - A nation which maintains and enhances a biodiverse natural environment with healthy functioning ecosystems that support social, economic and ecological resilience and the capacity to adapt to change (for example, climate change).

What the terms mean Remember that, wherever Biodiverse or Biodiversity means ‘biological diversity’ which refers to all the variety you are, you are part of an of life on Earth (plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms) as well as to the ecosystem, a piece in the communities that they form and the habitats in which they live. natural landscape, so try to look after what’s next door. Ecosystems are a dynamic network of plant, animal and micro-organism If you back onto a woodland, communities and their non-living environment interacting as a plant trees. If you live next functional unit. to gardens, plant nectar-rich Ecological Resilience is also called ecological robustness and flowers or provide a home is the ability of an ecosystem to maintain its normal patterns of for hedgehogs. Every plant nutrient cycling and biomass production after being subjected and flower really makes to damage caused by an ecological disturbance. a difference.