What is a Local Nature Recovery Strategy ?

A Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) is a new mechanism designed to plan for nature recovery at a local level. It involves agreeing on priorities for nature recovery and proposing actions in the locations where they would be most beneficial. These strategies identify practical, achievable proposals developed with input from people who know and understand the area, especially landowners and managers.

The main purpose of an LNRS is to identify locations across an area to create or improve habitats like woodlands, rivers, and meadows. These habitats are placed where they are most likely to provide the greatest benefit for nature and the wider environment. The strategies do not force landowners and managers to make changes but encourage action through opportunities for funding and investment.

Why do we need an LNRS?

We need an LNRS because our planet is experiencing significant biodiversity loss, largely due to human activity. England is considered one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, with approximately 41% of species in decline and 15% facing extinction.

The government has made legally binding commitments to end the decline of nature in England and facilitate its recovery through the Environment Act, which came into force in November 2021. This act requires halting the decline of species and enhancing the natural environment.

In areas like Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, nature is also under pressure. The LNRS aims to restore wildlife by drawing on existing data, strategies, and local knowledge to ensure that nature recovery happens in a way that delivers maximum benefit. Rather than being a project plan, it is an agreed set of priorities and measures for habitat management and creation, identifying the most suitable locations for these actions.

By helping nature, we are also helping ourselves. Nature provides essential goods and services that support our wellbeing and quality of life, such as pollination of food crops and carbon storage by trees. Helping nature is crucial for maintaining soil health, water quality, and air quality.