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Local Nature Recovery Strategy update

Published

Two months ago, Gloucestershire County Council was officially named as the ‘Responsible Authority’ for completing and submitting a Local Nature Recovery Strategy to DEFRA. As part of this responsibility, GCC has commissioned the Gloucestershire Local Nature Partnership to assist in its creation.

Each Local Nature Recovery Strategy must include:

  • a statement of biodiversity priorities
  • a local habitat map

The statement of biodiversity priorities must include:

  • a description of the strategy area and its biodiversity
  • a description of the opportunities for recovering or enhancing biodiversity in the strategy area
  • the priorities for recovering or enhancing biodiversity (taking into account the contribution that this can also make to other environmental benefits)
  • proposals as to potential measures relating to those priorities

The local habitat map much include:

  • national conservation sites in the strategy area
  • local nature reserves in the strategy area
  • local wildlife sites
  • areas that could become of particular importance to biodiversity (and other environmental benefits/ ecosystem services)

 

The identifying and safeguarding of Local Wildlife Sites is a duty of local authorities, and in practice in Gloucestershire in the past has been done collaboratively with Gloucestershire Centre for Environmental Records running the designation and review system.  However, this is work that has been mainly un-resourced since 2017.  The unexpected prominence of Local Wildlife Sites in the Local Nature Recovery Strategy guidance is prompting discussions about whether a Local Wildlife Sites officer role is again needed for the county.   

The LNRS is to be completed by the end of 2024, and there will be extensive work being undertaken in the meantime, including public engagement, landowner & farmer engagement, expert input from local conservation charities and organisations, detailed mapping of the county and its areas of significance and areas of opportunity.

Engagement events will be advertised on both the Local Nature Partnership’s website and Gloucestershire County Council’s website. Dates for public engagement events will be released when they have been finalised and distribution amongst your wards is encouraged.

If you, or any farmer/landowner/constituent that you represent has a question regarding the LNRS, you can direct them to our website: A Nature Recovery Strategy for Gloucestershire | Gloucestershire County Council or invite them to email LNRS@gloucestershire.gov.uk.