From bug hunts at the Gnoll to den building at Pembrey, Wales Nature Week returns tomorrow — with a packed programme of free and family-friendly events across the region.
The week runs from Saturday 4 to Sunday 12 July, inviting people of all ages to explore the nature found in everyday places.
This year’s theme, In Your Neighbourhood, celebrates the wildlife, green spaces and everyday moments of nature that surround us — from city parks, schoolyards and gardens to coastlines, woodlands and community spaces.
Saturday 4 July
The week opens with Nature Unearthed at Gnoll Country Park in Neath — a free day of hands-on nature activities, bug hunts and guided walks through the park’s habitats, running from 11am to 4pm.
The event is designed to help people uncover the wildlife living right on their doorstep.
Wednesday 8 July
Midweek, botanist David Barden and SEWBReC lead Dune Plants at Kenfig — a free field session on the dunes of Kenfig National Nature Reserve near Bridgend, from 10am to 4pm, teaching visitors to identify the plant life of one of Wales’ most distinctive habitats.
Saturday 11 July
The week’s busiest day brings four events across the region.
In Pontardawe, The Green Gathering (£5 entry, 11am–4pm) celebrates nature, sustainability and community, with activities, displays and local environmental organisations.
In Swansea, entomologist Liam Olds leads Biodiversity Beneath Your Feet: Insects of Penlan — guided walks through Penlan Racecourse, an urban wildlife haven overlooking Swansea Bay, with the chance to spot bees, butterflies and beetles. Sessions run from 11am, and booking is required.
Families in Gorseinon can Discover the Mini Beasts of Parc Melin Mynach (free, 10am–12pm), hunting for insects, spiders, bees and butterflies in an often-overlooked nature-rich corner of the city.
And at Pembrey Country Park in Carmarthenshire, Gone Wild (free, though parking charges apply, 11am–4pm) offers scavenger hunts, den building and the chance to meet the organisations helping nature thrive in the county.
And beyond the week
The following weekend, 18–19 July, the National Botanic Garden of Wales at Llanarthne hosts its BioBlitz Festival — two days of citizen science across the garden and Waun Las National Nature Reserve, with visitors helping to record as many species as possible. Entry is free with garden admission.
A full programme of Wales Nature Week events can be found on the Wales Nature Week website.
Prys Davies, executive director for strategy, policy and evidence at Natural Resources Wales, said the week was “a fantastic opportunity for people of all ages to get involved and make a difference for nature”.
“We’re encouraging everyone to take a closer look at the nature around them and discover just how much wildlife can be found close to home,” he said. “Whether that’s creating space for wildlife in your garden, getting involved in a local project or supporting conservation work, every action counts and adds up to real change.”
He added: “We’re facing a nature and climate emergency, and the need to act has never been clearer. Healthy ecosystems underpin our food, our health and our economy, and they need our support to thrive. Wales Nature Week is a chance for all of us to play our part.”
Whether it’s joining a local event, visiting a favourite green space or simply pausing to notice the wildlife nearby, organisers say everyone is encouraged to get involved.
