Five landmark nature recovery projects launched to protect wildlife and improve public access to nature
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Over 99,000 hectares of England to be dedicated to supporting
wildlife and nature for people to enjoy - equivalent in size
to all of England’s 219 current National Nature Reserves
Projects will deliver nature recovery at a landscape scale
helping to tackle biodiversity loss, climate change and
improve public health and wellbeing Millions of people set to
benefit from increased opportunities to engage and connect with the
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Five unique nature recovery projects spanning nearly 100,000 hectares will transform the public’s enjoyment of nature in the West Midlands, Cambridgeshire, the Peak District, Norfolk and Somerset, the government and Natural England announced today (Thursday 26 May). These multi-partnership projects will see newly created and restored wildlife-rich habitats, corridors and stepping-stones which will help wildlife populations to move and thrive across town and countryside. They will improve the landscape’s resilience to climate change, providing natural solutions to reduce carbon and manage flood risk. Equivalent in size to all 219 current National Nature Reserves they will also allow more people to enjoy and connect with nature ‘on their doorstep’. The Purple Horizons project in Walsall in the West Midlands alone will enable over 500,000 people to reconnect with nature close to where they live, in one of England’s most socially deprived areas. All five projects will also make a significant contribution towards the national delivery of the international commitment to protect at least 30% of land and sea by 2030, and will help to achieve the Environment Act’s legally binding target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030. Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said: “These five projects across England are superb examples of exciting, large-scale restoration that is critically needed to bring about a step change in the recovery of nature in this country. “They will significantly contribute to achieving our target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030 and our commitment to protect 30% of our land by 2030, enabling us to leave the environment in a better state than we found it.” Natural England Chair Tony Juniper said: “Nature recovery can only occur if we take action at scale, and that can only work through partnerships. These five landmark projects will seek to recover species and habitats through collaboration among a wide range of land owners and organisations, delivering benefits for wildlife, local economies, adaptation to climate change and for public wellbeing. “Looking after and recovering the health of the natural world upon which we all depend is at the heart of Natural England’s work, including through the development of the Nature Recovery Network that is such an important part of the Government’s environmental ambition. I am delighted we are taking this step today, driving practical action on what is one of the most urgent challenges of modern times.” Joan Edwards, director of policy at The Wildlife Trusts, said: “It’s good to see positive ambition from Government to help people access nature close to where they live, as well as efforts to connect existing strongholds for wildlife. Species desperately need green corridors to bridge together fragmented habitats in addition to big, bold projects that enable landscapes to recover at scale. “Wildlife has suffered catastrophic declines in recent decades and 15% of species in the UK are at risk of extinction. Government can help turn that around by accelerating the creation of a nature recovery network, dedicating more land for nature, and applying stronger protections for our most important sites.” The nature recovery project areas are:
An initial £2.4m in funding is being provided by Defra and Natural England, part of funding for the flagship Nature Recovery Network (NRN) which aims to increase, improve and connect existing wildlife-rich sites and restore and connect degraded land, turning it into healthy functioning ecosystems, rich in wildlife and resilient to climate change, which provide us with clean air, water and healthy soil. The Nature Recovery Projects being announced today will also include improved footpaths, bridleways and green infrastructure which will connect nature to where people live, work and play – benefiting physical health and mental wellbeing, and providing habitat creation that supports the roll out of biodiversity net gain, demonstrating how public and private finance can support nature recovery. The announcement today follows last week’s declaration of the new Somerset Wetlands ‘super’ National Nature Reserve (NNR) by Natural England which will protect 6,140 hectares of precious saltmarsh, heath and wetland habitats that are home to nationally significant wildlife populations. ENDS NOTES FOR EDITORS The projects: Purple Horizons
Extending across 10,000 ha on
the fringes of the West Midlands conurbation, Purple Horizons is
restoring and connecting fragmented nationally and
internationally important heathlands to create a mosaic of
heathland-wetland-woodland-gra The project is working with local landowners to deliver habitat creation and carbon sequestration options for their land, supporting climate change adaptation and mitigation. The partnership is also developing a plan for connecting with communities in the deprived areas of Walsall (one of the top 10% most deprived local authorities in England), to understand their needs and where habitat creation and green infrastructure will deliver the greatest health benefits. Somerset Wetlands, Somerset Extending across 60,000 ha of the Somerset Levels and Moors, the project works with partners and landowners to enhance the process of nature recovery. The project is being led by a strong delivery partnership, which includes the following organisations: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Somerset Wildlife Trust, Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South West (FWAG), Hawk and Owl Trust, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) and Environment Agency. In the first year 11 projects will be delivered, under the themes of habitat restoration, landowner engagement, strategic research & solutions and climate adaptation & carbon storage. The long-term ambition of the project is to restore ecological processes across the whole of the Somerset Levels and Moors landscape - from the peat moors near Taunton, Glastonbury and Muchelney to the sea at Bridgwater Bay. Managing the wetlands sustainably will support livelihoods and the local economy, including boosting green leisure and tourism, and help support farm businesses through the agricultural transition. It will also maintain the extensive peatlands of the Somerset Wetlands as a carbon store, helping to reduce pollution and improve resilience to floods and drought. The project also plans in the future to increase the nature connectedness of communities in the nearby urban centres, such as Bridgwater and Taunton, through increasing access opportunities, interpretation, and outreach to new audiences. Cambridge Nature Network The aim of the Cambridge Nature Network is to develop a network of resilient wildlife rich accessible habitats in and around the City of Cambridge covering 9,200 ha. This is in response to the biodiversity crisis and a local commitment to ‘doubling nature’ in the area in the face of significant growth pressures in the city and surrounding area, which are likely to grow on the back of the OxCam corridor. The network focuses on making existing nature sites bigger, better, and more connected. Work being supported includes converting farmland into new chalk grassland and woodland establishment at Wandlebury Country Park and Lower Valley Farm in the Gog Magog Hills; creating a new meadow near Barton; and establishing new woodland near Coton on the western edge of Cambridge and in the city itself, restoring ancient trees, tree planting and meadow restoration. The Nature Network will help to ensure that the population of Cambridge and the surrounding district of South Cambridgeshire have significantly better provision of nature within easy reach of their homes and workplaces. The Nature Network provides a framework for nature’s recovery to help future growth respect and actively contribute to a coordinated plan to enhance nature, increase climate resilience, and deliver for societal and economic wellbeing. Wye Valley, Peak District The Wye Valley stretches for approximately 20km across the Peak District National Park between Buxton and Bakewell. The project area covers 10,000 ha, with 1082 ha (11%) of SSSI including NNR and SAC and 300 ha (3%) of priority habitats, highly fragmented with c8,600 ha (86%) of improved grassland. It has a rich cultural heritage and is immensely popular for recreation, with a good rights of way network across the plateau and through the dales. The concentration of exposed rockfaces, cave networks and abandoned mines makes it an important destination for climbers and cavers, and the rivers support healthy populations of fish that attract many fly fishers. The landscape can be easily accessed by large populations in the nearby cities of Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham, Derby and Stoke-on-Trent and receives thousands of visitors a year. In the first year of the project, the partnership of National Trust, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Peak District National Park Authority and Natural England will facilitate a range of activities; the focus will be on restoring dewponds, enhancing this special and characteristic habitat networks. This habitat will support and enable the dispersal of a range of amphibians and invertebrates. Three surveys within the National Park will determine a baseline of habitat value prior to and post habitat works and assess biodiversity net gain opportunities across the area, helping to develop a framework for BNG investment and inform a market for private investment. Nature recovery packs will also be provided to 500 residents to help reconnect them with their nature. Wendling Beck, Norfolk This project near Dereham in mid-Norfolk aims to transform farmland and its associated river valley through habitat restoration and creation and widespread adoption of more sustainable farming practices. The project partnership consists of local farmers, Norfolk Wildlife Trust and Norfolk County Council as landowners and is supported by The Nature Conservancy, Norfolk Rivers Trust, Norfolk Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), Natural England and Anglian Water. It is one of nine biodiversity net gain credits pilots. It is creating and enhancing grasslands, heathland, woodlands and wetlands, alongside other priority habitats, to increase populations of rare wildlife and flora including grey partridge, turtle dove and green wing orchid. The project aims to link up initiatives in the wider Upper River Wensum with around 10,000ha of the surrounding areas. The Wendling Beck project will deliver improvements to water, soil, air and biodiversity, as well as providing wildlife corridors and stepping-stones to connect three SSSIs within the area. Located close to Dereham, the project also plans to provide permissive access route, along with links to the Norfolk Trails Network, benefiting health and wellbeing of residents and visitors as well as offering excellent educational opportunities. |