Natural Resources Wales

Natural Resources Wales

Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru
Welsh Government Sponsored Body overview
Formed	1 April 2013 (2013-04-01)
Preceding agencies	Countryside Council for Wales Environment Agency Wales Forestry Commission Wales
Jurisdiction	Welsh Government
Headquarters	Tŷ Cambria, Newport Road, Cardiff 51°29′04″N 3°10′02″W / 51.4845°N 3.1671°W / 51.4845; -3.1671Coordinates: 51°29′04″N 3°10′02″W / 51.4845°N 3.1671°W / 51.4845; -3.1671
Employees	1,900
Annual budget	£180 million GBP
Minister responsible	Lesley Griffiths, Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs
Welsh Government Sponsored Body executives	Diane McCrea, Chair Emyr Roberts, Chief Executive Dr Madeleine Havard, Deputy Chair
Website	naturalresources.wales
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Natural Resources Wales is responsible for environmental protection & regulation and the maintenance of natural resources throughout Wales

Natural Resources Wales (Welsh: Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru) is a Welsh Government sponsored body, which became operational from 1 April 2013, when it took over the management of the natural resources of Wales. It was formed from a merger of the Countryside Council for Wales, Environment Agency Wales, and the Forestry Commission Wales, and also assumes some other roles formerly taken by Welsh Government.

As a justification for the merger, the Welsh Government claimed that the new body would produce savings of £158 million over ten years. Whilst the three agencies were broadly supportive of the move, the board appointed by Environment minister John Griffiths did not include any representatives from the forestry sector, and Forestry Commission Wales chairman Jon Owen Jones - the former Welsh Labour MP for Cardiff Central - raised concerns that the forestry industry's voice would not be adequately heard in the new organisation.

Natural Resources Wales is responsible for over forty different types of regulatory regime, having inherited these roles from its predecessor organisations. They include: