Wales' UNESCO Biosphere
Screams and Streams
Every summer swifts return to the Dyfi Biosphere to nest and lay their eggs. Unfortunately, swift numbers have been in decline in recent years. Screams and Streams is a short running, community-led action research project seeking to answer the question "Is there a clear relationship between river health and common swift survival?".
Welcome to the Dyfi Biosphere
Aberystwyth and the wider Dyfi Valley
The Dyfi Biosphere covers the whole of the Dyfi river catchment and extends along the coast of Cardigan Bay as far as Tywyn in the north and Aberystwyth in the south.
It is a largely rural area where farming, fishing and tourism are important, while the nature reserves around the Dyfi estuary are of national significance. It has a rich bilingual culture, from Welsh legends to renewable energy and sustainable farming.
Our bilingual communities are proud of the Dyfi Biosphere status given by UNESCO in 2009.
Part of UNESCO in Wales
As well as the Dyfi Biosphere, Wales has four World Heritage Sites (Pontcysllte Aqueduct and Canal, the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward I in Gwynedd, the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales and Blaenavon Industrial Landscape) and two Global Geoparks (Geomôn and Fforest Fawr). You can see the full list of UNESCO sites in the UK here.
Ours is the only Biosphere Reserve in Wales, but it’s one of seven across the UK, and over 700 across the world. It’s a voluntary designation giving the area global recognition for its environmental and cultural value.
UNESCO’s global goal is to build lasting peace through the ‘intellectual and moral solidarity of humankind’,
relying on the common goods of education, culture, science and information. We are proud to be part of that.
Read more about UNESCO, Wales and peace.
What we do
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We create connections and build understanding; encouraging people with different experiences and expertise to work together in new ways. Our Partnership includes local authorities, wildlife organisations, the Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales, the farming unions, business and voluntary groups.
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We develop opportunities to make the local economy more resilient, for instance strengthening local food trading networks
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We inspire, enable - and also deliver - creative local solutions to global challenges, for instance working with Eco Schools to help young people improve habitats for wildlife
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We celebrate and coordinate actions by a wide variety of organisations, including farming, tourism, education and the arts
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We connect people with nature and cultural heritage, for instance through social prescribing and art projects