Service
Biodiversity
The Local Places for Nature Officer at One Voice Wales is available to support all Community & Town Councils with all aspects of Biodiversity.
Your Local Places for Nature Officer is Rachel Carter: [email protected]

The role is funded by Welsh Government under the Local Places for Nature funding programme which aims to create ‘Nature on your doorstep’. We can provide a variety of services to your Council, and these are summarised below:

On our Biodiversity pages, you will find more information about:
- Local Places for Nature
- Guidance documents
- Biodiversity training modules
- Consultation & Advisory Services
- Section 6 Reporting and Biodiversity Action Plans
- Pethau Bychain Nature Network
- Changes to mowing practices
Guidance Documents
Following our successful launch event on Tuesday 21 May 2024, we are very pleased to share with you our new Biodiversity Guides. These new resources were funded by the Local Places for Nature Programme funded by Welsh Government. Click on the titles to open.
Nature Recovery Action Guide
A document to help councils understand the basic principles of biodiversity with a simple structure based on 5 Pillars of Nature Action, which can be applied in different settings to restore, create, and enhance biodiversity and meet their Section 6 duty. This document compliments the new training module. Produced in partnership with Cynnal Cymru.
Community Growing
A bright and colourful guidance publication with lots of useful tips on setting up all sizes of community gardens initiative. The front page is a representation of all the elements that could be included to join up food growing and biodiversity together. Produced in partnership with Social Farms & Gardens.
Biodiversity and Planning
An engaging and practical guidance document to help Councils/Planning Committees look at planning applications with biodiversity in mind. This will help Councils understand the legislation in place and how Community and Town Councils fit into the process. Produced in partnership with In Our Nature (CIC).
Pethau Bychain
Pethau Bychain is the One Voice Wales Green Network for Biodiversity champions from the sector.
Meetings are held regularly on various topics of interest and members have access to information and resources.
It is open to all Clerks, Cllrs, and employees across Wales. Each Council can have as many members as it wishes, and it is the individuals who are the members. You can register to join Pethau Bychain here: JOIN NOW

Why join the network?
By becoming a member, you will get exclusive invites to regular webinars on biodiversity topics of interest.
An example of the talks that have taken place are shown in the image below:

Changes to mowing practices

The Welsh Government and the United Nations have declared a Nature Emergency!
A staggering 97% of Wales’ wildflower meadows have been lost in the last 80 years; mainly due to changes in land use and house building. Our vital pollinator species like Butterflies, Moths, Bees and Hoverflies continue to decline every year with many species becoming extinct or so rare they are on the verge of extinction. We all need to act now to create, enhance, and restore habitats and provide forage for these vital pollinators, invertebrates and the wildlife that depend on them (State of Nature Wales Report 2023)

The good news is that as a local council one of the simplest and most effective ways to increase biodiversity and support ecosystem resilience is to reduce mowing schedules on the land you manage. If you are landowner/manager of green sites, please consider discussing changes with your existing contractors or Grounds maintenance teams. You can also request a change in mowing for any Local Authority managed land in your area.
Areas could include:
- Recreational fields and parks
- Burial grounds and churchyards
- Road verges
- Play parks
- Any amenity space
There are a variety of changes that can be made, some may require different machinery, but some can be very simple. It was recommended that whatever changes are planned that there is clear communication between stakeholders. Use of signage is strongly advised to ensure this. Free resources are available from the Welsh Government ‘It’s For Them’ campaign.
For land your Council manages:
Suggested changes could include:-
- Using Cut & Collect machinery instead of Cut & Fly or Cut & Drop but not changing schedules – this removes all cuttings (arisings); lowering soil nutrients which is essential for reducing growth of course grasses and increasing growth of vital wildflowers in between mows.
- Increasing the mowing height / Reducing the frequency of mowing – this allows more low-growing species such as Selfheal, Mouse ear, Speedwells and Eyebrights to bloom; providing vital nectar and pollen.
- Actively managing a site or parts of a site for biodiversity by reducing mowing to once, twice or 3 times per year – this allows natural recovery of the grassland areas and increase species diversity, maximising the impact on biodiversity and ecosystem resilience:
- Mow at a low height once per year in March
- Mow at a low height twice per year in March and in August/September
- Mow at a low height twice per year in March and in August/September plus an additional cut in Mid-July
- Variety is key to maximise any impact on biodiversity so mowing paths through sites and mowing the edges of footpaths, pavements, signs and around benches etc is beneficial to both wildlife and people.
- The addition of signage to your sites and spreading awareness can help to demonstrate the aims of the mowing changes and show the potential impact on biodiversity.


For land the Local Authority manages:
- You can contact your Local Nature Partnership and/or relevant street scene department to request a change of mowing in your ward/area
- Ask your County Cllr/s to support any request for mowing changes.
- Ask your residents to support any request for mowing changes.
For Everyone:
Take part in ‘No Mow May’ but extend this into ‘Let It Bloom June’ – May and June are vital months for floral diversity and leaving the wildflowers bloom and grow can support pollinators and other wildlife such as reptiles, amphibians birds and small mammals.
Encourage your local community to get involved in their own gardens and lands.

If you would like to find out more about changing mowing schedules to benefit biodiversity as part of your Biodiversity Action Plan, please get in touch with Rachel Carter to arrange a consultation.
The ‘It’s For Them’ Toolkit
If your Council is managing sites for biodiversity you can download free resources from the Welsh Government’s ‘It’s For Them’ Toolkit
This includes a variety of signage, posters, leaflets, and information board materials that can be customised with your Councils own messages, logos and contact information. You can also download the ’Education resource pack’ for use with local schools or volunteers.
If you need any help or assistance with using these resources, please contact the biodiversity team at One Voice Wales.
There may be funding available for smaller councils to cover the cost of producing ‘It’s For Them’ signage, please contact us for more information.

Wales Nature Week
One Voice Wales held events to celebrate Wales Nature Week 2025. Click on each event below for more information:
A Visit to Meadow Street Community – Pontypridd
Celtic Wildflowers Specialist Wildflower Nursery Tour – Swansea
Denbighshire Tree and Wildflower Nursery Tour – St Asaph
If you would like to learn more about Local Places for Nature, or for support for your Community or Town Council with all aspects of Biodiversity, please email Rachel Carter, Local Places for Nature Officer at One Voice Wales, at: [email protected]
