Plans to recover nature

An England-wide initiative was launched today (5 November) to recover nature across the length and breadth of the country.

The Nature Recovery Network (NRN) Delivery Partnership, led by Natural England, brings together representatives from over 600 organisations to drive forward the restoration of protected sites and landscapes and help provide at least 500,000 hectares of new wildlife-rich habitat across England from doorstep to landscape, as set out in the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan.

The Network will link together our very best nature rich places, restore landscapes in towns and the countryside and create new habitats for everybody to enjoy. It is the biggest initiative to restore nature ever to be launched in England.

The partners, including the Council for Sustainable Business, Wildlife and Countryside Link, National Parks England, RSPB and the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), alongside Defra, the Environment Agency and the Forestry Commission, will be providing a wide range of support including funding and land to be restored. Today Natural England is calling for even more organisations to be part of the initiative, organisations already giving their support include Coca-Cola, Network Rail and Severn Trent Water.

The Nature Recovery Network will:

• Restore 75% of protected sites to favourable condition so nature can thrive.
• Create or restore at least 500,000 additional hectares of wildlife-rich habitat outside of protected sites.
• Recover our threatened and iconic animal and plant species by providing more habitat and wildlife corridors to help species move in response to climate change.
• Support the planting of 180,000 ha of woodland.
• Deliver a range of wider benefits, including carbon capture, flood management, clean water, pollination and recreation.
• Bring nature much closer to people, where they live, work, and play, boosting health and wellbeing.

The ambitious plans were launched in a virtual conference, where Chair Tony Juniper and CEO Marian Spain called for even more organisations, businesses, and charities to pledge to take action to help deliver the Nature Recovery Network.

Mark Bridgeman, President of the CLA, said:

“As a partner of the Nature Recovery Network Partnership, we recognise there is no time to lose. The public can see the impact of biodiversity loss and climate change with their own eyes, and quite rightly they expect us to act.

“As stewards of the countryside, landowners are uniquely placed to deliver meaningful programmes that will drive environmental recovery, and we are determined to play our part in meeting the challenges ahead.”

Read the press release in full here