The CLA says farmers are “determined to play their part”, as an initiative launches to recover nature across the length and breadth of the country.
Led by Natural England, the Nature Recovery Network (NRN) Delivery Partnership, 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.
Creating new habitats
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.
What it will do
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.
Partners in the scheme
The partners, including the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) as well as groups such as the Council for Sustainable Business, Wildlife and Countryside Link, National Parks England and RSPB, 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 – those already giving their support include Coca-Cola, Network Rail and Severn Trent Water.
Bridgeman: Uniquely placed to drive environmental recovery
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.”
What is the CLA?
In the South East the CLA represents thousands of farmers, landowners and rural businesses in Kent, Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
For more information about the CLA and its work, visit the Wevbsite and follow @CLASouthEast on Twitter.
News shared by Michael on behalf of Country, Land and Business Association. Ed
Image: Lison Zhao under CC BY 2.0
