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This dataset shows the boundaries and baseline classification, undertaken in 2021, for The Water Framework Directive (WFD) Cycle 3. It is an update in classification for all water bodies in Wales following on from the cycle 1 and cycle 2 classification rounds. The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England & Wales) Regulations 2017 (referred to as the WFD Regulations) provide a framework for managing the water environment in England and Wales. The Directive aims for “good status” of all ground and surface water (rivers, lakes, transitional water, and coastal waters). Under the WFD Regulations, a river basin management plan must be prepared for each river basin district. The plan includes environmental objectives and a summary of the programmes of measures required to achieve those objectives. All waterbodies have been assessed and are included within the local River Basin Management Plan (RBMP). NRW updates the classification every 3 years. The Cycle 3 Interim classification will be available in 2024. It will be published in tabular format on Water Watch Wales. It can then be joined to the WFD water bodies, if required. Attribution statement: Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights Reserved. Contains Ordnance Survey Data. Ordnance Survey Licence number AC0000849444. Crown Copyright and Database Right. Derived in part from 1:50,000 and 1:250,000 scale digital data under permission from British Geological Survey. ©NERC. However, please see the attribution statements for each individual Cycle 3 layer as they will vary depending on the data used in its creation.
DataMapWales
‘WFD Transitional (Estuarine) Waterbodies’ is a spatial dataset containing attributes that have been collated as defined for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Article 2, clause 6 of the WFD defines them as ‘…bodies of surface water in the vicinity of river mouths which are partly saline in character as a result of their proximity to coastal waters but are substantially influenced by freshwater flows’. Transitional waterbodies were defined from Mean High Water boundaries, taken directly from OS 1:50K MeridianTM 2, and estuarine boundaries defined for the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD). Since waterbodies are attributed with a unique identifier (EA_WB_ID) this dataset can be linked directly to other WFD data sources such as physical characteristics, risk, classification and proposed objectives. These data apply to Cycle 1 of the Water Framework Directive. Attribution Statement Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights Reserved. Contains Ordnance Survey Data. Ordnance Survey Licence number AC0000849444. Crown Copyright and Database Right.
WFD Transitional (Estuarine) Waterbodies’ is a spatialdataset containing attributes that have been collated as defined for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Article 2, clause 6 of the WFD defines them as ‘…bodies of surface water in the vicinity of river mouths which are partly saline in character as a result of their proximity to coastal waters but are substantially influenced by freshwater flows’. Transitional waterbodies were defined from Mean High Water boundaries, taken directly from OS 1:50K MeridianTM 2, and estuarine boundaries defined for the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD). Attribution Statement Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights Reserved. Contains Ordnance Survey Data. Ordnance Survey Licence number AC0000849444. Crown Copyright and Database Right.
The Environmental Permitting Regulations contains exemptions from needing an environmental permit for certain water discharges and groundwater activities. Exemptions cover the discharge of treated domestic sewage to either surface or groundwater, managing vegetation near/on inland water, substances to ground for scientific purposes and discharges from open loop heating and cooling systems. These exemptions must be registered with Natural Resources Wales. The Water Quality Exemptions dataset contains the locations for these registered exemptions in Wales. Information Warning Some grid references within the data set are incorrect and are plotted outside Wales – these are in the process of being corrected. Attribution statement Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights Reserved.
The Water Resource Availability data is based on a nationally consistent method and provides a national picture of Water Resource Availability for each Water Framework Directive Cycle 2 water body. Local Water Resource Availability for abstraction licensing is provided in our Abstraction Licensing Strategies (ALS) published on our website. ALS outline the implications for abstraction licensing of the different water resource availability colours. This national picture of Water Resource Availability may be different to local assessments in ALS particularly for regulated rivers and rivers designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) where local requirements may mean that results have been overridden. Water Resource Availability Descriptions - Green: Water available for licensing - Yellow: Restricted water available for licensing - Red: Water not available for licensing - Grey: Heavily modified water bodies (and/or discharge rich catchments This data is not raw, factual or measured. It comprises of estimated or modelled results showing expected outcomes based on the data available to us. Attribution statement Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights Reserved. Some features of this information are based on digital spatial data licensed from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology © NERC (CEH). Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2015
The Resource Reliability data indicates the percentage of time additional consumptive abstraction may be available and what this means for abstraction licensing. The Resource Reliability data is based on a nationally consistent method. Results have been overridden to reflect local assessments in our Abstraction Licensing Strategies (ALS) published on our website. ALS outline the implications for abstraction licensing of resource reliability. The data is displayed in the following categories showing Percentage of the time additional consumptive resource may be available - Consumptive abstraction available less than 30% of the time. - Consumptive abstraction available at least 30% of the time. - Consumptive abstraction available at least 50% of the time. - Consumptive abstraction available at least 70% of the time. - Consumptive abstraction available at least 95% of the time. - Not assessed. This data is not raw, factual or measured. It comprises of estimated or modelled results showing expected outcomes based on the data available to us. Attribution statement Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights Reserved. Some features of this information are based on digital spatial data licensed from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology © NERC (CEH). Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2015
WIMD is the Welsh Government’s official measure of relative deprivation for small areas in Wales. It is designed to identify those small areas where there are the highest concentrations of several different types of deprivation. Deprivation is the lack of access to opportunities and resources which we might expect in our society. This can be in terms of material goods or the ability of an individual to participate in the normal social life of the community. An Index is a group of separate measurements which are combined into a single number. WIMD is currently made up of eight separate domains (or types) of deprivation: - Income - Employment - Health - Education - Access to Services - Housing - Community Safety - Physical Environment Each of the domains include several indicators of deprivation. WIMD ranks all small areas in Wales from 1 (most deprived) to 1,909 (least deprived). It does not provide a measure of the level of deprivation in an area. Other WIMD resources WIMD rank and indicator data is available for download from StatsWales. The WIMD area of our Statistics and research website includes previous releases of data as well as latest news and updates. You can also find: WIMD 2019 data summaries, including our main Results Report WIMD 2019 Guidance and Technical Reports Geospatial information on WIMD 2019 on the “DMW” geo-portal for Wales WIMD 2019 Interactive tool
Welsh Language - Census 2011 and Census 2021 Change in the number of people aged three or older reported being able to speak Welsh by LSOA between data extracted from the 2011 Census and the 2021 census. Based on LSOAs that remained unchanged or split between 2011 and 2021 only. Changes could not be calculated for LSOAs that were merged between 2011 and 2021. These areas are coloured grey on the map. Contains National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right 2022
Welsh Language - Census 2011 Percentage of people aged three or older reported being able to speak Welsh by LSOA from the 2011 Census. Contains National Statistics data; Crown copyright and database right 2021.
Welsh Language - Census 2021 Percentage of people aged three or older reported being able to speak Welsh by LSOA from the 2021 Census. Contains National Statistics data; Crown copyright and database right 2022.
Welsh Government is a marine plan authority and is responsible for preparing marine plans for Wales. The marine plan area in Wales comprises the inshore and offshore marine planning regions. The inshore region extends from the mean high water spring tides (MHWS) to the 12 nautical mile (12 nm) limit of the UK territorial sea, and the offshore region from 12nm UK limit of territorial sea to the limit of the Welsh zone. The sea has a maximum tidal elevation (and land reach) during spring tides and the level of mean high water spring tides (MHWS) is usually used to describe the limits of the sea area. MHWS are not defined. The current OS based map may be used as a general guide and shows Normal Tidal Limits (NTL) which is the average point to which a body of water is affected by the ebb and flow of tides. MHWS will extend further shoreward than this depending upon the gradation of the land. MHWS may be further upstream than this point depending upon the presence of obstructions, such as weirs, which may impede further tidal flow on average tides but become overtopped on larger tides. NRW marine licensing can provide advice as to the location of MHWS for marine licence applications.
Sector-specific policies operate alongside general policies and relate to a particular type of activity. They include supporting policies (to support the development of a given sector) and safeguarding policies (to protect a given sector’s existing or potential future activities). These Sector specific policies are applicable across the whole of the Marine Plan Area.
This data shows the Westminster Constituency boundaries for Wales. This dataset is derived from the OS OpenData Boundary Line product: http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/products/boundary-line/index.html Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2023
Air pollution mitigation is scored in the Woodland Opportunity Map (WOM) using two different datasets identifying the ability to mitigate impacts from PM2.5 (on human health) and Ammonia (primarily for impacts on ecosystems as benefits for human health are covered under PM2.5). Due to the two separate types of impact (human health, ecosystems), two separate layers were required to show where woodland creation would best mitigate these impacts. The scores from each of these layers are halved then combined in order to avoid air pollution being double weighted relative to other scoring layers. This layer shows the opportunity for trees to remove air pollution in the form of Ammonia. Ammonia emissions have only slightly declined in the past 20 years, but have been increasing again in the period 2015-2017. Ammonia remains of major environmental concern due to adverse effects on forests, species composition of semi-natural ecosystems and soils. Tree planting can have a beneficial effect as a landscape structure to mitigate Ammonia air pollution through 1. Reducing emissions from slurry lagoons by reducing the wind speed over its surface. 2. Recapturing and diluting emissions from sources upwind of the trees through increased turbulence and deposition velocities. 3. Increasing the dispersion above the canopy through increased mixing thereby reducing deposition to nearby sensitive habitats. Planting trees in areas of high ammonia emissions can intercept ammonia reducing the pressure from ammonia deposition on habitats downwind, can help dilute and disperse ammonia and will also reduce secondary formation of PM2.5. The ammonia data used here is based on National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) ammonia emissions data 2018. Scoring is based on NAEI breakpoints outlined in their website, which shows ammonia emissions in terms of tonnes per square kilometre.
Air pollution mitigation is scored in the Woodland Opportunity Map (WOM) using two different datasets identifying the ability to mitigate impacts from PM2.5 (on human health) and Ammonia (primarily for impacts on ecosystems as benefits for human health are covered under PM2.5). Due to the two separate types of impact (human health, ecosystems), two separate layers were required to show where woodland creation would best mitigate these impacts. The scores from each of these layers are halved then combined in order to avoid air pollution being double weighted relative to other scoring layers. This layer shows the opportunity for trees to remove air pollution in the form of particulate matter (PM2.5) for the benefit of human populations. Exposure to high levels of PM2.5 particulates is associated with a number of health impacts, including hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular illness and reduced life expectancy. Woodland has been found to be particularly effective at removing PM2.5 at a landscape scale. This data was provided by the Centre of Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) and is a product from their modelling work to support the Environment and Rural Affairs Monitoring and Modelling Programme (ERAMMP). PM2.5 was modelled from pollutant emissions, chemical reactions with other pollutants and meteorology, and pollutant transport ability. These data sets were then related to population density data to calculate a score showing the opportunity to improve air quality based on how it is transported, and the number of people who would benefit from improved air quality. This layer is scored to target removing PM2.5 particulate matter at a landscape scale, and identifies the locations where new woodland creation will provide most benefit to people, based on pollutant transport ability and benefits to human health. A score of 0 has a low benefit; a score of 5 has a high benefit.
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is an area of high scenic quality which has statutory protection in order to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of its landscape. Contact the local AONB officer for all schemes over 2 hectares in line with the Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) (England and Wales) (amendment) Regulations 2017. See GN002 for contact details.
This layer shows, from modelling at a spatial resolution of 250m2, the maximum possible tonnes of carbon sequestered per hectare per year from planting trees. Forest Research (FR) modelled a range of species (broadleaved and conifer) using their Ecological Site Classification (ESC) tool, taking into account accumulated temperature, moisture deficit, windiness, continentality, soil moisture and soil nutrient regimes. The highest yielding species of each woodland type were then taken as the most suitable species choices for a given location and modelled in CARBINE (FR’s carbon modelling tool). The CARBINE model estimates the change in carbon stocks for forests (including the biomass in standing trees and deadwood, and in the soil) and any associated harvested wood products, as well as the greenhouse gas emissions avoided through the use of wood products that displace fossil fuels and fossil-fuel intensive materials. The UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH) took these modelled outcomes and selected the woodland type that sequestered the most carbon on that area of land, whether coniferous (around 90% of area) or broadleaved (around 10% of area). Broadleaf management assumed to be LISS – low impact silvicultural systems. Conifer management assumed to be thinning and felling. Scoring is based on tonnes of carbon sequestered per hectare per year, classified based on 0 being worst (net emissions), and 5 being best (most carbon sequestration).
This datalayer shows registered Common Land in Wales. Woodland creation on common land may affect access and other rights held by commoners. Any works that may impede the exercise of common rights need careful consideration and prior agreement from rights holders and the landowner or local authority if the land is unclaimed. The erection of fencing to protect trees from grazing and construction of new roads or tracks on common land requires consent from Welsh Government under the Commons Act 2006. If the common is owned by the National Trust consent must be granted under the National Trust Act 1971. For more information and contacts, see GN002.
This data set was derived from Ordnance Survey boundary data showing Community Ward boundaries. This is intended to help work out which community ward to consult with for a planning application.
Deep peat is defined in the UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) as soil having a predominantly organic (peat) layer, of depth greater than 50 cm. Deep peat is especially important as a resource in Wales, as a carbon store, as well as an important substrate to support specialist habitats. Peat is also under threat from climate change, and land management techniques including cutting and draining. The remaining deep peat and modified deep peat should therefore remain protected from development, and this includes woodland creation, which may dry out existing deep peat. Areas of deep peat must be removed from woodland creation proposals. Forest Research (2012) completed a report which attempted to identify all areas of peatland across Wales. Spatial datasets of soils, geology and vegetation were assessed and combined to produce a map of peat resource. The deep peat, and modified deep peat layers developed within this project were used to represent a peatland sensitivity layer within the opportunity map. For more information, see GN002, including the appeals process should you have reason to believe deep peat is not present on your site of interest, but is according to this data layer. Use of the WOM21 Deep Peat and Modified Deep Peat spatial dataset is subject to the Non-Commercial Government Licence for Public Sector information. This dataset has been made available to download for non-commercial use only. The licensing conditions can be found here. When using these data, the following attribution statement is to be included: “This dataset is derived in part from the National Soil Map @ 1:250,000 scale, © Cranfield University (NSRI) and for the Controller of HMSO 2022."
This layer shows pollutant impacts on water quality within Water Framework Directive (WFD) sub-catchments – specifically focused on Phosphate (P), Nitrogen (N) and sediment. This is based on modelled loading (agricultural and non-agricultural) and run-off combined with P in-water quality (WFD P status monitoring), and modelled N in-water concentrations (accounting for the safe drinking water threshold). Note that WFD P status targets are set at different levels for each monitored waterbody, based on alkalinity and altitude. These are combined to show which sub-catchments we think pollutant run-off is likely to be coming from, based on modelled land management, and which sub-catchments may have local water quality issues. Planting trees in those areas may prevent or intercept runoff that is affecting water quality. This layer shows areas with the highest potential for mitigating diffuse water pollution. Planting trees in the highest scoring sub-catchments will have the highest potential for intercepting diffuse water pollution. Scores range from 0 (no identified benefits from woodland creation) to 5 (multiple identified benefits from woodland creation).
Grassland fungi assemblages and some individual species are on the Section 7 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 list and as such their populations require protection. They are difficult to survey as fruiting bodies are only visible for approx. 1 month of the year so are likely to be missed by anyone assessing a site for suitability for tree planting. Tree planting on areas supporting grassland fungi would destroy the populations as the fungi require closely grazed grassland without shading to survive. This dataset shows known location points of ‘notable’ fungi species intersected with the corresponding semi-natural grassland field boundary. Where no semi-natural grassland is present in the location, a 250m buffer is used around the survey point. ‘Notable’ fungi species include (a) Red List species (Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable or Near Threatened) and/or Section 7 species; (b) a total of 10 or more individual grassland fungi species. Some areas contain both. Where survey points intersect semi-natural field boundaries larger than 1000m, a 1km buffer is used to limit the area of consultation. See GN002 for further guidance
This is not a mandatory consultation layer. The areas shown in this layer and associated guidance here does not have to be adhered to as part of a woodland creation proposal and will not affect verification of your plan. However including these recommendations in your woodland creation plan could be beneficial to GCNs and many other amphibian species that may be present. This layer shows where there is good potential habitat for Great Crested Newt based on habitat and species distribution modelling, extrapolated from known GCN locations, and research in Wales by NRW and the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust (https://www.arc-trust.org/). However, their presence has not been formally recorded. Sensitive afforestation can be beneficial for many amphibian species. Great Crested Newts, and other species of amphibian, require a range of damp habitats that provide both resting places and support invertebrate prey that they feed on. Woodland seems particularly favoured by newts. To benefit amphibian species in your planting plan (1) Design the planting scheme to include areas of habitat linking ponds, but leave a buffer of at least 15 metres (around ponds) unplanted. Future site management will be reduced if pond margins are left unplanted. (2) Where possible consider leaving fallen deadwood for shelter. (3) Avoid establishing scrub and tree cover where there would be an impact on water supply for ponds. (4) If any new ponds are being created, refer to this handbook (https://www.arc-trust.org/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=3202d642-d476-4e4a-a0cc-516eede869be) (5) Biosecurity measures should be in place when working in or around ponds or to prevent transfer of invasive non-native species or amphibian diseases such as chytrid. It is recommended that works are undertaken in accordance with biosecuritv risk assessments. Further information on biosecurity can be found at http://www.nonnativespecies.org/index.cfm?sectionid=58
This data layer identifies a number of known historic environment features and landscapes that retain a physical presence, but which are not protected by a statutory designation. The data layers have been drawn from the Regional Historical Environment Records (HERs) of the four Welsh Archaeological Trusts (WATs) and cover the whole of Wales. Their boundaries reflect the expected limits of these historic environment features both above and below ground. Where areas of two or more features overlap or are closely adjacent these have been amalgamated to form a single management area containing more than one feature. As archaeological work progresses each year, and new features are identified, new areas will be added. All grant funded woodland creation proposals require an assessment by the relevant Archaeological Trust. This data layer flags the presence of currently mapped HEFs that are likely to be of interest. See GN002 for contact details.
This data layer represents the amalgamated character areas of the Registered Landscapes of Outstanding and of Special Interest in Wales. The 58 Registered Landscapes were compiled jointly by Cadw, the Countryside Council for Wales (now part of Natural Resources Wales) and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), and encompass the physical remains of all aspects of human activities and exploitation in the past both above and below ground. The further characterisation of the Registered Historic Landscapes was undertaken by the Welsh Archaeological Trusts, who looked in detail at each landscape and divided them into areas of particular character. All grant funded woodland creation proposals require an assessment by the relevant Archaeological Trust. This data layer flags the presence of HLAs that are likely to be of interest. Appropriately designed woodland may be welcome in these areas. See GN002 for contact details and links to the relevant Welsh Archaeological Trust HLA web pages.
This dataset shows land designated as Open Access land under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW) over which the public have a right of access. This includes areas of land identified as being mountain, moor, heath, and down; registered common land; and land over which the owner has formally dedicated as open access. Dedicated forests have been excluded from this dataset as existing woodlands have been excluded from the overal Woodland Opportunity Map as a constraint (woodland already exists). Woodland Creation on such land must ensure that access to the land concerned is not impeded. Existing statutory Rights of Way should not be planted on and informal paths or desire lines should be kept unplanted to allow continued access. Proposals on access land will require consultation with the local authority access team. For more information and contacts, see GN002.
The data layer shows areas of bracken which may support fritillary butterfly populations. The butterfly areas are derived from records held by Butterfly Conservation for high brown fritillary, pearl-bordered fritillary and small pearl-bordered fritillary. These known presence points are overlaid with areas of bracken from the Habitat Survey of Wales. A guide on how to identify suitable bracken habitats for fritillaries is available from Butterfly Conservation. You are advised to seek and incorporate advice from Butterfly Conservation – further details in GN002. https://butterfly-conservation.org/sites/default/files/habitat-bracken-for-butterflies.pdf
Great crested newts are a European protected species, and deliberate killing injuring or disturbing individuals or damaging or destroying their breeding site and resting places is an offence. This dataset shows distribution of great crested newt (GCN) records collated from surveys, monitoring reports, and licence returns. Habitat suitability has then been modelled to indicate those areas of highest GCN density and potential presence. This dataset shows both designated sites and 6 previously identified Nationally Important Sites with a 1km buffer, as well as sites where there is a high potential of GCN presence, with 250m buffers. New woodland creation can be beneficial to GCNs in providing shelter and foraging. The areas shown in this datalayer indicate where advice on the design of woodland creation is required from NRW. See GN002 for more information and contacts.
Chough, Curlew, Golden Plover, and Lapwing are all species of particular conservation concern, for which woodland creation could be particularly damaging to their feeding and/or breeding habitat. This dataset is provided by the RSPB as a point dataset and shows bird habitat location, which is then buffered to match its correlating 1km national grid square, reflecting preference for open space. Not all proposals in the buffer area will require amending but it is important to seek advice from RSPB. See GN002 for more details.
Water vole is a Protected Species (Schedule 5, Wildlife & Countryside Act, 1981) and is the fastest declining mammal across the UK. Populations in Wales have declined by 89% since the last estimate in 1995 and the water vole is classed as Endangered in Wales. Threats to the survival of water vole remain unchanged, primarily through loss, degradation and fragmentation of suitable habitat and predation by American mink but also because of pollution and flooding. This layer was developed by using water vole habitat suitability modelling to identify habitats that are likely to be suitable. These were combined with recent survey records to create a connected network of water courses and wetlands (buffered by 50m) indicating areas important to water voles. Woodland creation proposals in these areas should include positive design measures to maintain or enhance suitable habitat. Further information is in GN002.
This “Priority Habitat - High Sensitivity” data layer shows semi-natural habitats which are listed as priority habitats under Section 7 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016. The data layer has been updated and includes priority habitats not previously covered. Tree planting on these areas will generally destroy the priority habitat and the species which depend on them, and so should be excluded from planting proposals. For more details, see GN002. If you have grounds to believe that an area of “Priority Habitat - High Sensitivity” has been wrongly recorded, use GN009 “Providing additional evidence to support Glastir Woodland Creation applications” which explains how to submit photographic evidence to support your proposal.
Regionally Important Geodiversity Site (RIGS) are non-statutory local designations including the most important places for geology, geomorphology and soils outside the nationally recognised network of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). RIGS are identified for being one or a combination of scientific, educational, historical or aesthetic values. The impact of planting, if any, will depend on the nature of the RIGS feature, so early consultation with NRW is recommended. See GN002 for further details.
Cadw has undertaken a comprehensive survey of historic parks and gardens in Wales. Those thought to be of national importance have been included on the Cadw Register of Historic Parks and Gardens in Wales. The Register was compiled in order to aid the informed conservation of historic parks and gardens by owners, local planning authorities, developers, statutory bodies and all concerned with them. The Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2016 makes it a statutory duty for the Welsh Ministers, through Cadw, to compile and maintain a register of historic parks and gardens in Wales. The register is statutory from 2021 and sites can be added (or removed) at any time. There are currently almost 400 sites on the Register. The aim is to prevent damage to significant features of the sites, such as historic layout, structure, built features and planted elements. In many cases tree planting is beneficial and enhances parkland character. However, it is important that due consideration is given to the significance of the site, its historic character, layout, design, and views etc. to determine a site’s suitability for woodland creation and to inform woodland planting plans. Contact details are in GN002.
Under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 (as amended by the Historic Environment (Wales) Act, 2016) the Welsh Ministers, through Cadw, compile and maintain a Schedule of Ancient Monuments. Those monuments included on the Schedule are of national importance and cover a diverse range of archaeological sites, from prominent well-known ruins to those completely buried below ground. The Schedule is increasing as part of an ongoing planned enhancement programme to ensure it contains the best examples of all types of ancient monuments in Wales that are of national importance. Authorised consent (known as Scheduled Monument Consent) is required from Cadw for any work within a Scheduled Monument boundary that has the potential to damage or disturb the monument (including woodland creation/tree planting). Unauthorised damage and non-consented works can lead to a criminal prosecution. Please see GN002 for more info. The mapping and descriptions for all scheduled monuments in Wales can be found here: https://cadw.gov.wales/advice-support/cof-cymru/search-cadw-records
Under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 (as amended by the Historic Environment (Wales) the Welsh Ministers, through Cadw, compile and maintain a Schedule of Ancient Monuments. Those monuments included on the Schedule are of national importance and cover a diverse range of archaeological sites, from prominent well-known ruins to those completely buried below ground. The Schedule is increasing as part of an ongoing planned enhancement programme to ensure it contains the best examples of all types of ancient monuments in Wales that are of national importance. Approval is required from Cadw for any woodland creation within a 50m buffer zone of a Scheduled Monument. This approval is required in order to provide Cadw with an opportunity to assess the impact that the planting proposals may have upon the setting of the monument, significant views, or the monuments position relative to other key elements of the wider landscape or historic environment. Please see GN002 for more info. The mapping and descriptions for all scheduled monuments in Wales can be found here: https://cadw.gov.wales/advice-support/cof-cymru/search-cadw-records
This dataset is based on recent records of rare arable plants (2000 to 2017) and the field in which they occur. The data highlights land where species within Section 7 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 and Red Data Book™ (RDB) species occur or have occurred recently (populations can survive in seed banks for considerable periods). These are some of Wales’ most vulnerable plant species with many threatened with extinction over the last couple of decades. Planting trees on such sites would destroy the arable plant species present. These areas should be excluded from new planting proposals, or, if there is strong evidence for error, contact NRW. See GN002 for more details.
A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is an area selected on scientific criteria and protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 because it contains wildlife or geological features of national importance for nature conservation. Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) were designated under the EC Habitats and Species Directive which came into force in 1992. All SACs, together with Special Protection Areas (SPAs) designated under the EC Wild Birds Directive to protect rare and migratory species of birds, comprise a network of sites known as the National Sites Network and represent the very best of Wales’ nature. Most terrestrial SACs sites in Wales are also designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest. This layer also includes small areas of woodland Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) that are not underpinned by SSSI designation. While consultation is necessary for SSSIs, there are instances where appropriate planting would be beneficial. Please see GN002 for further information and contact details.
A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is an area selected on scientific criteria and protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 because it contains wildlife or geological features of national importance for nature conservation. Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) were designated under the EC Habitats and Species Directive which came into force in 1992. All SACs, together with Special Protection Areas (SPAs) designated under the EC Wild Birds Directive to protect rare and migratory species of birds, comprise a network of sites known as the National Sites Network and represent the very best of Wales’ nature. Terrestrial SACs sites in Wales are also Sites of Special Scientific Interest. A 300m buffer was added along non-riverine biological SSSIs, and 100m along riverine biological SSSIs by NRW who must consider any impact on the SSSI from proposals on adjacent land. Geological SSSIs have no additional buffer. While consultation is necessary for both SSSIs and their buffers, there are instances where appropriate planting would be beneficial or have minimal impact. Consultation is not necessary within the 100m riparian buffers provided that the mandatory guidance detailed in GN002 is followed. Please see GN002 for further information and contact details.
This layer shows where woodland creation is expected to contribute to social benefits of improved mental health and access to green space. It is a combination of two different indicators from the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD) 2019 that are relevant to woodland creation. • Physical Environment - Access to Greenspace – adjusted for estimated population density o This shows areas ranked by their access to accessible greenspace (e.g. Parks, Playing fields, Commons). o This is adjusted for density so that higher population density areas with poor access to greenspace are ranked higher. • Health - Mental Health o This shows areas ranked on counts (percentages) of people with diagnoses from a defined list of disease registers and sub-indicators obtained from GP practices in Wales. Access to Greenspace was ranked from good access = 0; to poor access = 5. Mental Health was ranked from lower percentage (fewer diagnoses) = 0; to higher percentage (more diagnoses) = 5. The access to greenspace and mental health rankings were then combined to form a score from 0-10. These were then converted to a score of 0-5 in line with other scoring layers.
Wales (High water mark). This data has been derived from Ordnance Survey Boundary-Line data. https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/business-and-government/products/boundary-line.html