The national parks of Wales () are managed areas of outstanding landscape in Wales, United Kingdom where some forms of development are restricted to preserve the landscape and natural environment. Together, they cover 20% of the land surface of Wales and have a resident population of over 80,000 people. Each National Park Authority is a free-standing body within the local government framework.
At present, Wales has three national parks: Snowdonia (Eryri), created in 1951, Pembrokeshire Coast, created in 1952, and the Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog), created in 1957, as well as five areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONB), which form some of the Protected areas of Wales. One of the AONBs, the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley has been proposed to be replaced by a new national park, which would become Wales' fourth national park.
The three national park authorities work in partnership as 'National Parks Wales' (NPW) which promotes their purposes and interests. NPW identifies issues of joint interest and a way of agreeing outputs. Information and experiences are shared by NPW between various people concerned with the three National Parks.
Land within these areas remains largely in private ownership; these parks are not truly national parks according to the internationally accepted standard of the IUCN but they are areas of outstanding landscape where certain types of activity are slightly more restricted. National Parks are "national" as they are considered to be of special value to the whole nation.
The Environment Act 1995 notes that the National Parks of Wales have two purposes: To conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the National Parks; and To promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities (of the Park) by the public
Administration
Following the Environment Act 1995, each national park has been managed by its own national park authority, a special purpose local authority, since April 1997.
Around half the members of each national park authority are appointees from the principal local authorities covered by the park; the remainder are appointed by the Senedd, some to represent the community councils, others selected to represent the "national interest". The National Park Authority is also the sole local planning authority for the park. Together the national parks are visited by an estimated 12 million people each year and almost three quarters of the population of Wales visit the Parks each year.
The parks
Snowdonia (Eryri)
Formed in 1951, Snowdonia (Eryri) is the largest national park in Wales, and includes the highest mountain in Ireland, England and Wales, and Wales' largest natural lake. The area is steeped in culture and local history, where more than half its population speak Welsh Fossil shell fragments on the summit of Snowdon date from over 500 million years ago and the ancient ‘Harlech Dome’ of which Snowdon and Cadair Idris form the northern and southern extents respectively, was created in the Cambrian Period before the volcanoes erupted. The more recent Ice Age glaciers were at their peak 18,000 years ago in Snowdonia and formed the distinctive U-shaped valleys including those at Llanberis and Nant Gwynant in the north and Tal-y-llyn Lake in the south.
The park is governed by the Eryri National Park Authority (Snowdonia National Park Authority), which is made up of local government and Welsh Government representatives. Its main offices are at Penrhyndeudraeth.
Pembrokeshire Coast
Formed in 1952, this is the only national park recognised primarily for its coastline; it covers almost all the Pembrokeshire Coast, every offshore island, the Daugleddau estuary and large areas of the Preseli Hills and the Gwaun Valley. It is an ecologically rich area recognised as of international importance for a wide range of high quality habitats and rare species. The park contains thirteen Special Areas of Conservation, five Special Protection Areas, one marine nature reserves and seven national nature reserves as well as sixty Sites of Special Scientific Interest. The park also contains a wealth of human history and culture, including the UK's smallest city, St Davids and Iron Age forts. Within the park there are also a total of sixty geological conservation sites ranging from small roadside quarries and isolated crags on hilltops to many kilometres of coastline.