NRW consulting on new Growth and Value Strategy – with just four weeks to respond

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has launched a public consultation on its Draft Growth and Value Strategy 2027-2031, inviting views on how it should grow and make best use of Wales’s natural resources over the next five years.

The strategy sets out NRW’s high-level vision for commercial activity that supports its core mission of protecting and enhancing the natural environment, while contributing to sustainable economic growth, nature recovery and community well-being. It seeks to unlock value from land and assets in ways that support renewable energy, recreation, business innovation and timber supply.

NRW is the custodian of more than 120,000 hectares of land in Wales, including the Welsh Government Woodland Estate, flood defences and national nature reserves. The statutory body plays a key role in implementing the sustainable management of natural resources across the country.

The draft strategy has four core areas of focus:

• Business development: exploring green innovation, finance and commercial opportunities.
• Commercial and recreation: enabling sustainable access to the outdoors and boosting wellbeing through nature-based activities.
• Renewable energy: facilitating growth in sustainable energy projects on land in NRW’s care.
• Timber sales and marketing: securing long-term, sustainable timber supply for the Welsh economy.

The consultation documents also include a Draft Timber Sales and Marketing Action Plan 2027-2031, outlining how NRW plans to manage and market timber resources in partnership with industry to support rural employment and sustainable forestry.

The consultation is open for comment for just four weeks. NRW has also scheduled engagement events in February and March 2026, with sessions focused on timber, business development, recreational access and renewable energy.

Comments can be submitted online via the consultation portal, with the deadline for responses being Sunday 8 March 2026.