Our Living Trails project results

Project introduction

Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh Government, in collaboration with Gwynedd Council, have recently launched the ‘Ein Llwybrau Byw’ / Our Living Trails project which has the long-term aim to promote and restore biodiversity along the Wales Coast Path corridor. Binnies UK Limited has been contracted by NRW to deliver this 9-month long project which also aims to promote greater connection between people and nature, so that more people understand the importance of a healthy natural environment, and the benefits it brings to us.

About the project

The project will be working in partnership with landowners, as they will be an integral part of the project. Land along the 870-mile Wales Coast Path corridor includes farmland, open countryside, cliffs, meadows, beaches and urban environments. The land provides an important opportunity to address the challenges of biodiversity loss, climate change and coastal ‘squeeze’ whilst promoting a healthy, resilient society. It will investigate ‘best practice’ and recommend an approach to ‘scale up’ the roll out of biodiversity improvement projects along the Wales Coast Path corridor, and potentially other national trails and rights of way in Wales in coming years.

Project aim and objectives

The Our Living Trails project is about learning. We want to identify how do we best go about improving biodiversity along the Wales Coast Path. We want to do this in a way which optimises as many other benefits as we can such as health, water quality, carbon sequestration, flood risk management.

• What types of biodiversity improvement projects do we do, where and why?
• What data do we need and who do we need to work with?
• What’s the best way to work with landowners and other stakeholders along the Wales Coast Path?
• How do we fund these projects and measure their impact?
• How do we best raise public awareness of biodiversity and the benefits it brings?
• What’s the best way to define the Wales Coast Path corridor?

The project will be investigating what has worked well in the past by learning from ‘best practice’. We also want to learn from what has not worked so well! As part of the project, we will be selecting two case studies, from a long-list of case studies nominated by attendees to our Introductory Webinar (held on the 15th July 2021)  Watch the Introductory webinar

Project Results

The project finished in March 2022.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and the Welsh Government, in collaboration with Gwynedd Council, have recently received the final report, on the ‘Ein Llwybrau Byw’ / Our Living Trails project from our consultants, Binnies UK.

This project has the long-term aim of promoting and restoring biodiversity along the Wales Coast Path corridor. NRW and Welsh government are now considering the report, including the recommendations, and will decide on next steps in due course.

Our story map tells you about the project and it’s findings and recommendations

Access the Ein Llwybrau Byw’ / Our Living Trails story map

For a copy of the full report in PDF format, please e-mail wcp@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk