Nearly £11 million in new funding has been announced for the preservation of Welsh wildlife by Minister for Climate Change, Julie James.
The Welsh minister for climate change announced the funding following a meeting with scientists to discuss the work being done to save the Atlantic wild salmon.
According to a report commissioned by Natural Resources Wales fish could disappear from Welsh rivers completely in the next two decades.
Minister James confirmed support for nine new large and 17 medium projects that will benefit from the latest round of Nature Networks funding, which aims to strengthen the resilience of seas, forests and disappearing grasslands in Wales.
The minister said:
“We all want a Wales that we are proud to pass onto our future generations. Currently they are facing quite a different world if we don’t stand up and act quickly in a team Wales effort to tackle the climate and nature emergencies.
“Whilst we must do all we can to protect our precious Atlantic wild salmon- healthy, free-flowing rivers will benefit all of our physical and mental wellbeing.”
She said that a thriving population of salmon indicates a clean and well oxygenated river where other species can flourish and tourism can boom.
“Whether you’re a bather, toe-dipper, twitcher, angler or kayaker – a healthy river means a more enjoyable countryside experience,” Minister James added.
According to the Welsh government over centuries physical barriers such as roads, development and farmland have left animals and plants stranded on unconnected “islands”.
This has in turn blocked migration routes and decreased the gene pool and health of animal and plant populations.
In response to this the government set up the Nature Networks programme to build “wildlife corridors” throughout Wales.
It has also enlisted the support of local people in its efforts and has issued a rallying call for “team Wales” action to tackle the “global nature emergency”.
