Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) as it works to protect nature for future generations.

SSSIs are recognised for their important wildlife and natural features. They are protected under section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. NRW says there are currently 1,083 SSSIs in Wales. NRW is responsible for designating sites as SSSIs, and the regulatory management of them.

NRW’s Corporate Plan commits to enlarging and better connecting the series of SSSIs to support the international ’30 by 30’ target, to which the Welsh Government is committed. The target aims to protect and effectively manage at least 30% of land, freshwater, and sea for nature by 2030. 12% of the surface area of Wales is protected, which is a long way from the target of 30% coverage. While other protection measures could play a role, SSSIs are an important means of meeting that target.

We found that NRW has not been designating many SSSIs, despite knowing of many places which may qualify for SSSI protection. Since it was established in 2013, NRW has only designated 31 SSSIs.

NRW has made limited progress developing its strategic approach to SSSIs. Staff capacity constraints, gaps in key data, and fragmented digital systems have restricted progress. NRW’s digital systems are outdated and do not support effective data sharing. There are also big gaps in NRW’s information base, particularly on the condition of features on SSSIs.

Our report explains that NRW is an organisation under pressure and facing continuing uncertainty. It started 2024-25 with a staff budget deficit of around £9 million, which it forecast would grow to £17 million by 2026-27 if it did not take action to cut costs. To save costs, NRW removed 8% of staff posts from its overall establishment in April 2025 as part of its ‘case for change’ restructure .

NRW’s budget increased towards the end of 2024-25, with some funding for SSSI activity. However, NRW has not yet clearly set out how it will achieve its ambition for SSSIs or the resources required.

NRW needs to take action to balance short term pressures with the longer-term outcomes it is looking to achieve on SSSIs. It will need to do this while considering its wider biodiversity priorities and how it can maximise its impact. We have made eight recommendations for NRW to improve its approach to SSSIs themed around:

• developing the approach to SSSIs;
• integrating digital systems; and
• improving oversight.