The English Nature Recovery Network is gaining momentum

Some of the country’s biggest organizations and businesses are set to come together for the first time today (July 13) to identify how they can work together to reverse the decline of nature at a vital summit organized by Natural England.

The Nature Recovery Network (NRN) Delivery Partnership, led by Natural England, brings together representatives from more than 600 organizations to promote the recovery of our protected sites and landscapes and help create at least 500,000 hectares of new wildlife-rich habitats across England. The network will bring together our best nature-rich places, restore urban and rural landscapes and create new habitats for all.

The partnership represents a diverse range of interests including government, conservationists, businesses, farmers and landowners with members including KPMG, the Church of England, the NFU and the Sustainable Business Council. They will meet to discuss how to coordinate efforts and pool knowledge and resources to create a national nature restoration network.

Purpose of Nature Recovery Network:

• Restore 75% of protected areas to a favorable condition so that nature can flourish.
• Create or restore at least 500,000 additional hectares of wildlife-rich habitat outside protected areas.
• Restore our iconic and endangered species by providing more habitat and wildlife corridors to help species move in response to climate change.
• Support for the creation of 180,000 hectares of new local forests.
• Receive a wide range of benefits, including carbon sequestration, flood control, clean water, pollination and recreation.
• Bring nature closer to people where they live, work and play, promoting health and well-being.

Since launching in 2020, the Nature Recovery Network Delivery Partnership has worked together to deliver hundreds of projects for nature, including:

• Launch of 5 landscape restoration projects totaling 99,200 hectares that will track the use of credits and finance generated from biodiversity net gains to landscape-scale nature restoration

• 21 thousand ha The G7 Heritage Restoration Project in Cornwall

• Fostering innovation through the delivery of ‘corn projects’, launching 220 nature restoration projects across England in 2020/21, with a further 100 planned for 2022.

• Supporting the development of 27 projects that will generate returns on investment across a range of ecosystem services and provide valuable learning opportunities as we aim to channel more private investment into nature through Fund of readiness for investments in the natural environment.

• Supplying a wide new “super reserve”which covers 6,140 hectares of Somerset and includes some of the country’s most valuable habitats

• Support for the implementation of 160 projects of the Green Recovery Challenge Fund

Natural England chairman Tony Juniper said:

When it comes to the state of nature, we have reached a critical juncture. It is no longer enough to protect what we have left, now we must take on the enormous task of ensuring the restoration of nature. This summit is an important part of that plan.

The restoration of nature can no longer be the job of environmental charities, passionate specialists or government bodies such as Natural England. It has to be a community-wide effort, and that’s why we’ve put together the Nature Recovery Network Delivery Partnership.

It is great to see that the need for decisive, large-scale action is now becoming more widely recognised, as highlighted by the hundreds of organizations coming together today to drive forward the Nature Recovery Network for England. Working together, we can change the state of nature from decline to recovery.

Timothy Crawshaw, President of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and Chair of the Tees Valley Nature Partnership, said:

We are proud to host this national conference. Everyone needs nature everywhere, no less than in the Tees Valley.

The Local Conservation Partnership for the Tees Valley has over 40 member organisations, from renowned naturalists such as the National Trust, the RSPB and the Wildlife Trust, to our local groups with around 6,000 nature-based members.

We are all delighted with this national support and recognition, which will mark the start of an exciting new phase in the planning and delivery of our Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

The conference will explore the joint action needed to promote the Nature Recovery Network and see how England is moving from conservation to actively restoring the natural world.

The conference will bring together land managers, landowners, businesses and communities to restore lost elements such as hedgerows and trees to our landscapes. These restored habitats will help cope with climate change through carbon sequestration, while improving air, water and soil quality and providing natural protection against flooding. They will also provide places for all of us to enjoy and connect with nature, and help improve our health and well-being.