Background

In October 2024, the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales (NICW) made a bold recommendation to Welsh Government: nature should have a voice in decisions about flood policy and implementation. This was not just a call for greater environmental awareness; it was an invitation to imagine a future where nature sits at the table as a respected stakeholder in public life.

Following this, NICW set out to explore what it would truly mean to have a ‘Commissioner for Nature’, or a Nature Guardian; a role designed to represent the natural world in our most significant discussions and decisions. To inform this thinking, we commissioned a report on how such a Commissioner might fit within NICW’s structures (by Simeon Rose), an essay exploring nature’s central role in Welsh myth and legend (by Eurig Salisbury), and a short video highlighting the main reasons for giving nature a seat on Boards (by Scott Waby and Eurig Salisbury).

The case for Nature on the Board

Appointing nature to a Board is a transformative act, one that acknowledges the simple truth: every decision we make, has an impact on the natural world. Yet for too long, nature has been the absent stakeholder, affected by decisions but never truly represented.

In 2022, Faith In Nature became the first company in the world to appoint nature as a director, granting the natural world both a voice and a vote on every decision. Since then, the model has spread from businesses to charities, research groups, and community partnerships, demonstrating that it is both possible and effective to represent nature’s interests in practice.

The benefits are twofold:

1. Better Decisions, Informed by the Long View: Having a Nature Guardian on the Board helps ensure that the impact of every action is fully considered, not just for immediate gain, but for long-term resilience. Legal experts highlight that directors now have a duty to consider nature-related risks as part of their responsibility to promote success.
2. Recognition of Nature as a True Stakeholder: This approach aligns with the growing Rights of Nature movement, which argues that ecosystems, species, and landscapes should have rights, just as people do. Nature, in all its forms, is deeply intertwined with our well-being and deserves a say in the decisions that shape its future.

The Guardianship model

In Wales, as in other pioneering places, the guardianship model is a practical framework. Like a responsible adult representing somebody who cannot represent themselves in court, a Nature Guardian acts in the best interests of the natural world, consulting experts when needed and bringing new, often overlooked perspectives to the table.

Importantly, this role should not simply fall to an existing commissioner. It should be a new position, filled by someone with the expertise, passion, and independence to speak up for nature. At Faith In Nature, guardians are a rotating group of earth lawyers, conservationists, and scientists, and their mandate is to question, challenge, and champion nature’s needs.

Why Wales?

Wales is uniquely placed to lead this conversation. Our ancient myths and stories are woven into the landscape itself; Welsh culture has long recognised the land as animate, full of memory, and worthy of respect. The Mabinogion, for example, ties people, place, and the more-than-human world together through centuries-old narratives.

As Eurig Salisbury notes, to give nature a voice is not just about policy, it’s about reconnecting with the stories and language that bind us to our environment. In our literature, nature is not a passive background but an active participant, shaping our history and our sense of self. The poets of the past praised not just the beauty of the land, but also its resilience and its essential role in our lives.

The importance of the Nature Guardian approach was highlighted by the Future Generations Commissioner in his 2025 report, where some good practice case studies were highlighted, including the one that NICW Commissioners heard about on our recent visit to the Bannau Brycheiniog.

What difference does it make?

Appointing a Guardian for Nature in NICW helps us adopt a mindset where nature is consulted from the start. It means that every board meeting, every strategic plan, and every major decision includes someone who will ask: Is this respectful, regenerative, and reciprocal? Will this help our communities and our ecosystems to thrive?

Small decisions can have large ripple effects. Whether it’s choosing not to introduce an invasive species, considering the long-term resilience of flood defences, or recognising the rights of rivers and forests, the presence of a Nature Guardian changes the conversation. It makes us more accountable, more creative, and ultimately more hopeful about our shared future.

Commenting on the concept, Karen Whitfield, Director of Wales Environment Link, said:

“Infrastructure developments need to work in harmony with nature, so the idea of giving nature a voice on the board of such an important advisory body is inspiring. If the needs of nature can be fully articulated and advocated when planning the important infrastructure that Wales needs, it could mean a step change in the way that large projects are delivered, resulting in more community buy-in and greater resilience.”

Dr David Clubb, Chair of NICW, said:

Having called on the Welsh Government to give nature a true voice in decisions around flood resilience, we recognise the importance of holding ourselves to the same standard. Now we are turning our insight inward, committing to deepen our own understanding of how to listen to, and meaningfully act upon, nature’s voice within our work.

A call to action

The needs of nature and of all other stakeholders – including future generations – are deeply intertwined. If Wales leads the way in giving nature a seat on the Board, we don’t just protect our land and sea-scapes. We protect ourselves, our communities, and the legacy we leave behind.

Let’s honour our stories, our language, and our land by giving nature the voice it has always deserved. It’s time for a new kind of leadership. One where nature, at last, has a say.