Plans to boost nature recovery and safeguard England’s iconic national parks for future generations have been set out by Environment Secretary George Eustice. The announcement highlighted:
- Nature, climate, people and places prioritised in the Government’s response to Julian Glover’s Landscapes Review
- Package of measures will boost nature recovery efforts and safeguard our protected landscapes for future generations
- A new national partnership will promote greater collaboration between protected landscapes to improve people’s access to nature.
The proposals, which will be subject to consultation, are set out in the Government’s response to Julian Glover’s independent Landscapes Review which looked at whether the protections for National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) are still fit for purpose. The Government’s response sets out ambitious changes to increase access to nature and ensure protected landscapes can deliver more for climate, nature, people and places for the next 70 years and beyond, as we build back greener from the pandemic and level up all parts of the country.
A new national landscapes partnership will bring together those responsible for managing England’s National Parks and AONBs to collaborate, share knowledge and tackle common objectives such as nature recovery and improved public access. By harnessing their collective strengths whilst preserving their independence, the partnership will support local leadership to work together nationally, including by carrying out campaigns, organising events and offering volunteering opportunities that bring people closer to nature.
The 12-week consultation will also ask for views on proposals to drive nature recovery within our landscapes and support for the communities that live and work within them, such as the design and delivery of new agri-environment schemes and an ambitious management plan for each area. This announcement forms part of the Government’s wider action to recover and restore nature, delivering on the pledge within the 25 Year Environment Plan to protect 30% of the UK’s land by 2030 and commitments to achieve net zero by 2050.
Protected landscapes play an essential role in tackling climate change, protecting biodiversity, and supporting the nation’s health and wellbeing. Evidence from Natural England shows that almost half the population say that they are spending more time outside than before the pandemic, while the majority of adults surveyed by Forest Research agreed that their level of happiness when in nature has increased.
However, the pandemic has also highlighted the inequalities of access to greenspaces, with evidence from Natural England demonstrating that approximately a third of those on the lowest incomes visited a natural space in a typical week during the pandemic, compared to almost 60% amongst those on high incomes. The new measures aim to increase people’s access to nature, so more of England can benefit from having access to beautiful nature-rich landscapes.
Recognising the need to raise the profile of great British landscapes - particularly AONBs - as national assets, the 12-week consultation will also seek views on proposals, including:
- encourage improved access to our protected landscapes and nature for all parts of society, particularly where this supports improved public health and wellbeing;
- continue support for the local communities that live and work in protected landscapes, helping preserve our heritage for future generations;
- drive nature recovery and nature-based solutions within protected landscapes to help address the twin challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change; and
- apply structural changes and resources to support our protected landscapes in delivering more for nature, climate, people and places.
The consultation closes on Saturday 9 April 2022 and can be found here.
For further information, please visit NAAONB & Julian Glover Review - Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service (lincswolds.org.uk)