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Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn - Isle of Anglesey County Council

What are we doing to help biodiversity on Anglesey?


The UK’s biodiversity is in decline. Last century we lost a 100 species of plants and animals.

Anglesey has lost species too. The bittern, a heron-like bird which requires reed beds to feed and breed in, did breed on Anglesey - they haven’t for many years. The little tern used to breed at a few colonies on Anglesey’s coast, as did the corncrake - they do not anymore.

We have also lost plants such as the dwarf juniper, the starved wood-sedge, pennyroyal, red helleborine and others. Many people and agencies are working to save Anglesey’s wildlife and to restore species that we have lost over the years. Much of this is done through the protection and management of habitats essential for those particular species.

  • Natural Resources Wales (NRW) protects 60 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) of which four are managed as National Nature Reserves (NNRs), such as Newborough Warren. The council helps protect wildlife through its planning policies and through the management of areas such as the Dingle Local Nature Reserve (LNR), Breakwater Country Park, and school grounds.
  • The North Wales Wildlife Trust has 5 nature reserves including the National Nature Reserve (NNR) at Cors Goch.
  • The National Trust own many coastal properties where wildlife conservation is a primary objective, whilst the RSPB manages 6 nature reserves and is restoring wetlands on its Malltraeth Marsh and Cors Crugull reserves. All of these sites are of European and global importance.
  • The Anglesey Red Squirrel Project has been successful in saving and restoring this species on the island.
  • Anglesey Grazing Animals Project works with farmers and agencies to promote the use of rough low intensity grazing for the benefit of wildlife.

Local Biodiversity Action Plan

At the Rio summit in 1992 world leaders pledged to fight against wildlife’s extinction and strive to protect the variety of living nature on earth and the Convention on Biological Diversity was signed.

The UK generated the UK Biodiversity Action Plan in response to this agreement. Local Biodiversity Action Plans (LBAP) were adopted at the county level to generate action on the ground and help meet UK targets.

Anglesey’s Local Biodiversity Action Plan (please see the PDF documents below) was written to help secure partnership work between local people and organisations to ensure these local resources are valued and looked after in the future. The action plan set out work to help important habitats and species.

For wildlife in Planning, please see the document Protected Wildlife and Buildings.