National nature reserves in Wales are selected and designated by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) (formerly the Countryside Council for Wales). There are 76 reserves all of which are also SSSIs, they cover 26536ha, or less than 1.5% of the land area of Wales. They range in size from Dan yr Ogof at 0.5ha to Berwyn which covers 7920ha .[1] A national nature reserve is designated because of its special biological, geological, habitat or landscape value and most in Wales are open to the public. They include upland and lowland areas, several offshore islands and in some cases estuarine and intertidal zones.[2]
Although the majority of sites are managed by NRW, a number are managed by other bodies, mainly in the public and wildlife charity sectors, including:
| Name | Image | Location | Established | Area | Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caerphilly 51.686°N -3.211°W | 14 June 2012 | 42.281NaN1 | Caerphilly County Borough Council | ||
| Carmarthenshire 52.118°N -3.812°W | 24 February 1983 | 69.711NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Gwynedd 52.792°N -3.77°W | 26 April 1994 | 11.511NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Denbighshire, Gwynedd, Powys 52.832°N -3.499°W | 18 March 1999 | 7919.761NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Gwynedd 52.694°N -3.896°W | 6 January 1983 | 436.761NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Carmarthenshire 51.827°N -4.041°W | 24 July 1999 | 85.191NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Gwynedd 52.951°N -3.927°W | 26 April 1994 | 2.731NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Gwynedd 52.923°N -3.989°W | 19 March 2018 | 329.241NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Ceredigion, Powys 52.305°N -3.717°W | 21 July 1994 | 793.41NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Gwynedd 52.938°N -3.993°W | 3 June 1969 | 63.571NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Gwynedd 52.966°N -3.955°W | 29 August 1992 | 26.31NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Conwy 53.183°N -3.846°W | 20 April 1959 | 67.371NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Gwynedd 52.8°N -3.895°W | 2 April 1963 | 23.571NaN1 | National Trust | ||
| Coed Gorswen | Conwy 53.22°N -3.866°W | 20 April 1959 | 13.571NaN1 | NRW | |
| Ceredigion 52.386°N -3.871°W | 7 February 1994 | 165.911NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Gwynedd 52.94°N -4.142°W | 18 April 1958 | 2.641NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Monmouthshire 51.884°N -3.029°W | 12 February 1988 | 10.381NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Gwynedd 52.914°N -3.965°W | 3 June 1969 | 27.781NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire 52.063°N -4.633°W | 5 July 1991 | 46.121NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Gwynedd 53.218°N -4.002°W | 4 March 1982 | 166.461NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Coedydd Maentwrog | Gwynedd 52.955°N -3.983°W | 26 April 1966 | 68.321NaN1 | NRW | |
| Cors Bodeilio | Anglesey 53.272°N -4.248°W | 22 Mawrth 2013 | 41.531NaN1 | NRW | |
| Ceredigion 52.255°N -3.922°W | 22 January 1981 | 839.751NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Anglesey 53.312°N -4.297°W | 22 March 2013 | 250.261NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Gwynedd 52.904°N -4.515°W | 22 March 2013 | 122.491NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Anglesey 53.306°N -4.256°W | 15 June 1995 | 52.721NaN1 | North Wales Wildlife Trust | ||
| Carmarthenshire 51.842°N -4.374°W | 23 July 1996 | 18.421NaN1 | Wildlife Trust South and West Wales | ||
| Gwynedd 53.007°N -4.297°W | 22 March 2013 | 36.971NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Powys 52.187°N -3.441°W | 27 February 1987 | 25.121NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Pembrokeshire 51.945°N -5.05°W | 5 July 1991 | 38.931NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Powys 51.891°N -3.518°W | 1 November 2002 | 488.381NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Powys 51.836°N -3.178°W | 23 September 1959 | 64.821NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Neath Port Talbot, Swansea 51.633°N -3.883°W | 27 September 1991 | 130.831NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Rhondda Cynon Taf 51.774°N -3.509°W | 3 March 2006 | 32.931NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire 51.805°N -3.135°W | 3 February 2012 | 30.651NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Conwy 53.12°N -3.892°W | 19 July 1960 | 15.021NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Conwy, Gwynedd 53.111°N -4.03°W | 24 November 1954 | 403.31NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Powys 51.83°N -3.688°W | 2 April 2004 | 0.521NaN1 | The National Showcaves Centre | ||
| Carmarthenshire 51.879°N -4.016°W | 13 July 2007 | 224.531NaN1 | National Trust | ||
| Ceredigion, Gwynedd 52.529°N -4.015°W | 24 November 1992 | 2290.361NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Wrexham, Shropshire 52.927°N -2.762°W | 1 May 2021 | 583.941NaN1 | Natural England | ||
| Monmouthshire 51.821°N -2.686°W | 15 November 2017 | 28.341NaN1 | Woodland Trust | ||
| Swansea 51.559°N -4.281°W | 6 February 2002 | 92.171NaN1 | National Trust | ||
| Pembrokeshire 51.731°N -5.479°W | 23 July 1996 | 10.771NaN1 | RSPB | ||
| Powys 52.566°N -3.352°W | 6 March 2013 | 214.171NaN1 | University of Wales | ||
| Denbighshire 53.094°N -3.572°W | 5 October 1999 | 82.961NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Gwynedd 52.978°N -4.084°W | 15 April 1987 | 86.71NaN1 | National Trust | ||
| Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot 51.523°N -3.742°W | 23 May 1989 | 513.721NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Lady Park Wood (EN) | Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire 51.827°N -2.658°W | 21 November 1985 | 37.861NaN1 | Forestry Commission (England) | |
| Ceredigion 52.282°N -4.044°W | 23 July 1996 | 11.531NaN1 | Wildlife Trust South and West Wales | ||
| Maes-y-Facrell, Pen y Gogarth | Conwy 53.328°N -3.846°W | 26 February 2009 | 5.221NaN1 | NRW | |
| Bridgend 51.48°N -3.64°W | 3 July 2002 | 324.231NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Gwynedd 52.799°N -4.135°W | 18 January 1962 | 197.371NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Gwynedd 52.898°N -4.122°W | 9 October 1981 | 880.731NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Powys 52.173°N -3.697°W | 8 December 1983 | 137.571NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Anglesey 53.152°N -4.373°W | 2 December 1992 | 1556.431NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Newport 51.537°N -2.941°W | 16 April 2008 | 865.721NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Powys 51.826°N -3.643°W | 1 Mawrh 1993 | 417.971NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Swansea 51.566°N -4.154°W | 15 November 2017 | 228.491NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Pembrokeshire 52.019°N -4.726°W | 27 July 1995 | 65.941NaN1 | Wildlife Trust South and West Wales | ||
| Monmouthshire, Newport 51.607°N -2.839°W | 15 November 1984 | 24.041NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Pembrokeshire 51.865°N -5.34°W | 23 July 1996 | 281.561NaN1 | RSPB | ||
| Gwynedd 52.84°N -3.985°W | 1 December 1970 | 592.391NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Powys 52.127°N -3.175°W | 27 February 1987 | 45.211NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Ceredigion 52.122°N -4.319°W | 24 November 1992 | 58.731NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Powys 52.547°N -3.042°W | 31 May 2000 | 33.451NaN1 | Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust | ||
| Pembrokeshire 51.697°N -5.277°W | 6 December 2008 | 98.491NaN1 | Wildlife Trust South and West Wales | ||
| Pembrokeshire 51.736°N -5.293°W | 2 April 1963 | 306.561NaN1 | Wildlife Trust South and West Wales | ||
| Stackpole | Pembrokeshire 51.615°N -4.916°W | 8 March 1995 | 232.791NaN1 | NRW and National Trust | |
| Powys 52.219°N -3.079°W | 18 February 1981 | 5.421NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Pembrokeshire 51.997°N -4.779°W | 22 September 1986 | 70.111NaN1 | NRW | ||
| Carmarthenshire 51.842°N -4.137°W | 7 August 2008 | 150.141NaN1 | National Botanic Garden of Wales | ||
| Swansea 51.634°N -4.243°W | 26 April 1966 | 806.051NaN1 | NRW and National Trust | ||
| Gwynedd 52.759°N -4.79°W | 24 March 1986 | 178.641NaN1 | Bardsey Island Trust | ||
| Yr Eifl | Gwynedd 52.969°N -4.431°W | 22 March 2013 | 39.251NaN1 | NRW | |
| Yr Wyddfa | Gwynedd 53.058°N -4.049°W | 26 April 1966 | 1671.761NaN1 | NRW | |