30by30 in Wales

Naturfa – a place of nature

Naturfa (nah-tir-va) is a new, voluntary way to support nature's recovery in Wales.

It celebrates the people, communities and organisations who are caring for land, freshwater and seas, and making a real difference for nature.

Naturfa is about recognising places where nature is being looked after for the long term, helping habitats thrive and ensuring the benefits of healthy ecosystems are there for future generations.

Naturfa status isn’t a legal designation. Instead, it’s a recognition of the places already contributing to nature recovery - championing good work and inspiring others to get involved.

What defines a Naturfa site?

Naturfa recognition is awarded to sites that meet specific criteria relating to biodiversity value, governance, management, monitoring and long-term commitment. Naturfa sites are places where nature is thriving and where people are taking long-term action to support it. These sites show what's possible when habitats are cared for and allowed to recover.

In practice, Naturfa sites are places that:

support important habitats, species and help nature adapt and recover
have clearly defined boundaries
are managed and governed for the long term (at least 25 years)
use evidence and monitoring to guide and improve management
are developed and managed in a fair and inclusive way

Together, these key elements help ensure lasting benefits for both nature and people.

Full criteria and guidance can be found in the Wales Naturfa site-assessment tool.

Recognising Naturfa

Anyone responsible for managing land, freshwater or sea areas can put forward a site for recognition where it is likely to meet the criteria and contribute to Wales’ 30by30 commitment.

Sites are assessed using the Wales Naturfa Site Assessment Tool. The assessment considers five key attributes relating to biodiversity value, governance, management, monitoring and long-term commitment.

Sites will be at different points along this journey. The assessment therefore supports the following outcomes:

Naturfa status – sites that meet all criteria.
Naturfa pathway – sites actively restoring habitats and progressing towards the criteria.
Candidate Naturfa – sites requiring further evidence, management arrangements or biodiversity outcomes before progressing.

This process is designed to be simple, supportive and robust, maintaining confidence in the long-term contribution of Naturfa sites to biodiversity.

The Welsh Government works collaboratively with landowners, managers, communities and organisations throughout the process. The approach has been developed through a pilot programme and will continue to evolve over time.

Why seek Naturfa recognition?

Naturfa recognition can:

celebrate your contribution to nature recovery
demonstrate long-term stewardship and environmental commitment
connect you with a growing network of land managers, communities and organisations
provide opportunities to share knowledge and good practice
help raise the profile of your site and future opportunities for collaboration and investment

Meet our Naturfa sites

Explore the first sites recognised with Naturfa status.