Natur am Byth!
Natur am Byth! is Wales’ flagship conservation project, a partnership of nine environmental charities with Natural Resources Wales that will protect endangered species and reconnect the public with their natural heritage.
Credit: Aydan Khan
We are proud to be a core partner in Natur am Byth, taking the lead in the conservation efforts for the Shrill carder bee (Bombus sylvarum)– the UK’s most threatened bumblebee.
The Shrill carder bee is now found in just a few small populations, including three critical sites in South Wales; in Pembrokeshire, The Gwent Levels, and Kenfig. Known for its distinctive high-pitched buzz, the Shrill carder bee is one of the smallest species of bumblebee, and has declined in recent decades due to the loss and fragmentation of vital flower rich habitats. The few remaining populations have become increasingly isolated from one another, and the Shrill carder bee is now vulnerable to inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity, increasing the risk of local extinction.
In collaboration with our project partners, we will work with landowners, delivering advice and training to ensure enduring, sustainable management practices. This will focus on changes to grazing and mowing regimes, creating larger, more interconnected areas of wildflower habitats.
But Natur am Byth! is about more than just conservation. One of our most critical goals is to ensure that people across Wales feel that they belong in, enjoy and care for nature. We will communicate with the public and communities, engaging new audiences across Wales with this rare species – and help increase the value that Welsh culture and language places on the natural world.
Get involved
For more information on the project, please email tom.bucherflynn@bumblebeeconservation.org and anna.hobbs@bumblebeeconservation.org
