Farming: Country Land and Business Association Midlands Regional Director, Sophie Dwerryhouse looks at Local Nature Recovery Strategies in Shropshire
Across the country, more and more farmers and landowners are embracing innovative approaches to help improve the environment and benefit wildlife, while continuing to produce food.
From regenerative agriculture and precision farming to restoring hedgerows and protecting waterways, finding creative ways to work with nature rather than against it, seems to be the form.
As this work gains momentum, Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS), led by local authorities, are beginning to take shape. Hopefully, this is something many of you will already be aware of, generating questions about whether it will work for you.
Introduced by the Environment Act 2021 and aimed at bringing local interests for nature in line with practical land use management, LNRS offer a framework that could help ensure farmers' efforts to contribute to a broader, more coordinated vision of environmental recovery. Though their effectiveness and suitability may vary depending on individual circumstances.
There are currently 48 Strategies in development, to cover the whole of England. Each LNRS has a ‘responsible’ local authority in charge of engaging with stakeholders, including farmers and land managers.
The main purpose is to help focus action where they can deliver the highest benefits for nature, particularly in areas where there is strong interest from farmers and landowners.
These strategies will help identify key priorities for nature recovery within each area, and may include prioritising funding and advice in future.
The CLA is working hard to ensure that LNRSs impact positively on rural businesses. Currently, a major benefit of the LNRS process is for landowners creating Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) units to sell to developers, there will be a 15% uplift within the LNRS priority area.
The LNRS in Shropshire, and Telford and Wrekin, is in development and expected to be out for public consultation this summer. For more information on LNRS in Shropshire, please take a look at the blog on our website: cla.org.uk/cla-midlands-news/final-call-share-your-thoughts-on-land-mapped-for-natures-recovery
