Shaping the Future of Wales’s Designated Landscapes

Published: 21 May 2026

Wales’s National Parks and National Landscapes are some of the nation’s greatest assets. Covering roughly a quarter of the country, they are central to our ambitions for nature recovery, climate resilience, thriving rural communities, cultural heritage – including the Welsh language – and the well‑being of current and future generations. Yet the world around them has changed dramatically since the last major review of their governance over a decade ago.

Landmark legislation, such as the Well‑being of Future Generations (Wales) Act and the Environment (Wales) Act, are no longer new – expectations are that public bodies fully embed their principles in how decisions are made. Meanwhile, the climate and nature emergencies have intensified, public expectations around equity, inclusion, and accountability have grown, and pressures on funding and land use are increasing. With the Senedd election, a potential new National Park on the horizon, and discussions underway about the future shape and role of protected landscapes in England, there is a clear need to ensure our own governance arrangements remain robust, modern and fit for the next 25 years. 

An Independent and Focused Review

Against this backdrop, Tirweddau Cymru Landscapes Wales (TCLW – a partnership of our National Landscapes and National Parks) has convened an Independent Task and Finish Group to take a fresh, focused look at legislative and governance arrangements to develop clear and implementable recommendations to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and inclusivity of governance for the TCLW Board to consider. Campaign for National Parks is supporting this work as part of their wider engagement in Wales, contributing their valued experience, helping to ensure that the process is robust, thoughtful and future‑focused. 

The Group is chaired by Howard Davies (independent consultant and Chair of TCLW’s Biodiversity Expert Group) and made up of independent members with expertise spanning governance, environmental law, equity, social and environmental justice, biodiversity, public policy and global best practice. Members of the Group are not currently officers or members of Welsh landscape authorities, helping maintain independence and impartiality. Officer support from TCLW provides coordination and logistics. 

This work is intentionally targeted: it is about purposes, duties and decision‑making – the frameworks that shape how designated landscapes function and how effectively they can deliver public value – not operational performance.  The review will consider both improvements achievable within existing legislation and areas where legislative reform may be required. 

The Group will predominantly build on the substantial evidence and insight already available, filtering and updating earlier reviews to reflect today’s context. Engagement with key stakeholders, including landscape leaders, is built into the process so that emerging thinking can be tested and challenged. 

The Journey Ahead

Two key outputs will guide the journey ahead: 

• Interim high‑level recommendations in Summer 2026 

• A final report in Autumn 2026 

The aim is not to duplicate past reviews, but to bring clarity, prioritisation, and forward‑looking insight. 

We look forward to sharing more as the work progresses here in Wales.