Wales Environment Link is a network of environmental and countryside non-governmental organisations in Wales, most of whom have an all-Wales remit. WEL is officially designated the intermediary body between the government and the environmental NGO sector in Wales. Its vision is to increase the effectiveness of the environmental sector in its ability to protect and improve the environment through facilitating and articulating the voice of the sector. As an umbrella body WEL helps represent the shared interests of its member organisations.

Mike German AM answers questions at a seminar for WEL members on the implications of the Government of Wales Act

WEL encourages joint working and information sharing throughout the network. WEL staff administer 22 e-mail groups to disseminate information to staff of member organisations. There are 9 Working Groups, providing members’ staff with the chance to get together to work on different topics. Members also get together in the short term to form Task & Finish Groups to work on current issues of importance to the network. The Task & Finish Groups and long-term Working Groups often work together to make joint consultation responses and statements on strategies and policies of key importance to the environmental voluntary sector. These can be found on the Documents and Publications page.

The WEL network is often invited to elect representatives to attend meetings and partnerships. WEL Staff offer the members the chance to bid for places on new fora and when there is more than one volunteer a vote takes place amongst the members to determine who they feel would best represent the interests of the network on the particular group in question. Representatives report back to the network regularly and collate agreed views to take to forth-coming meetings. WEL currently has representatives sitting on more than 40 partnerships (mostly national partnerships / committees of the Welsh Assembly Government) which focus on a variety of environment-related topics. See Representation.