Five local authorities to trailblaze nature recovery pilots

Five local authority pilot areas have been announced to test how the recovery of England’s landscapes and wildlife can be driven locally.

The local authorities of Cornwall, Buckinghamshire, Greater Manchester, Northumberland and Cumbria have been selected by the government to help kick-start nature recovery on a countrywide scale, receiving a share of £1 million of funding to set up ‘Local Nature Recovery Strategies’ (LNRS) pilot studies.

The studies will help map the most valuable sites and habitats for wildlife in their area and identify where nature can be restored. This could see the creation of wildflower habitat for pollinators, green spaces for people, or new woodlands and wetlands which are important for both healthy communities and in the fight against climate change.

The pilots will enable local authorities to set out their local priorities for restoring and linking up habitats so species can thrive, and agree the best places to help nature recover, plant trees, restore peatland, mitigate flood and fire risk, and create green spaces for local people to enjoy.

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said: “Coronavirus is shining a light on the importance of our natural world, and the positive impact nature can have on our health and well-being. These first pilots will be a key part of our green recovery and help kick-start the creation of over a million acres of joined up habitats that people can enjoy across the country.”