Local Nature Recovery Strategy

Publication of the strategy

You can now view the first version of the strategy on our Local Nature Recovery Strategy documents page. 

Local Nature Recovery Strategy public consultation

Our public consultation on the draft Local Nature Recovery Strategy closed on 12 August 2025. Find more information on our previous consultation page.

We reviewed all responses that were received during the public consultation. All comments received, along with our response to these comments and the resulting changes to the strategy are summarised in the  North Yorkshire and York Local Nature Recovery Strategy Report on the public consultation (pdf / 2 MB). 

What is the Local Nature Recovery Strategy?

The Local Nature Recovery Strategy considers land at a county scale and identifies locations to improve nature and provide other benefits, such as capturing carbon from the atmosphere, flood regulation and access to nature-rich spaces where this is most needed for health and wellbeing.

The Local Nature Recovery Strategy:

• sets out priorities for nature's recovery, such as increasing woodland cover or creating wetlands
• maps the most valuable existing areas for nature
• maps specific proposals for creating and improving habitat for nature and wider environmental goals

As required by law under the Environment Act 2021, every county or combined authority area in England will produce a Local Nature Recovery Strategy. These strategies will work together to restore, create and connect habitats across England.

Decisions about where and how to recover nature has been reached through consultation with a wide range of people and groups in each county, from ecologists and community groups to health professionals and local businesses. In North Yorkshire and York, we want everyone to have their say.

Local Nature Recovery Strategies will help to direct several new funding streams, including funding for farmers and land managers. They will also link with Biodiversity Net Gain, which is a planning requirement to ensure habitats for wildlife are left in a better state than they were before the development process began.

Read more about Local Nature Recovery Strategies

Watch Defra's video with more information on Local Nature Recovery Strategies

Watch the council's LNRS Introductory webinar for more information

Why does North Yorkshire and York need a Local Nature Recovery Strategy?

North Yorkshire and York support an amazing diversity of landscapes and wildlife, from ancient woodland and chalk hills to large expanses of open moorland and beautiful historic parklands. North Yorkshire is also home to five protected landscapes: 

• Forest of Bowland National Landscape
• Yorkshire Dales National Park
• Nidderdale National Landscape
• Howardian Hills National Landscape
• North York Moors National Park 

Each has internationally important habitats and nationally important landscapes. This impressive nature makes North Yorkshire and York a highly attractive place for people to live, for businesses to locate, and to encourage sustainable tourism.

Nature underpins our lives - from street trees to rivers, nature in North Yorkshire and York provides us with food, water, captures carbon from the atmosphere and provides us with clean air. Walks in nature help us stay physically and mentally healthy, and urban and rural wildlife sightings bring joy to many people.

However, we've witnessed a significant decline in the health of North Yorkshire and York’s natural environment. Despite some successes, the populations of most of our species have been in continuous decline for decades, mainly linked to the loss of the habitats they rely upon. These declines are due to complex factors, including pollution, pesticide use, disease, development, loss of traditional land management practices and climate change.

The Local Nature Recovery Strategy for North Yorkshire and York will help us reverse this nature loss by setting out where and how to manage land and water to create a network of nature-rich sites that are bigger, better managed and more joined-up across the county and across the country.

Why are we partnering with the City of York Council for this strategy?

The government has asked us and City of York Council to work together, as both local authority areas share a common landscape and river network. Working across administrative boundaries will help nature to recover more effectively. We are also partnering with the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, along with the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Park Authorities and the other organisations in the advisory group (referred to below).

East Riding of Yorkshire Council is responsible for preparing a Local Nature Recovery Strategy for East Yorkshire and Hull, and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority is responsible for preparing a Local Nature Recovery Strategy for West Yorkshire.

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Who is funding the preparation of the strategy?

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has provided funding to support the development of Local Nature Recovery Strategies. North Yorkshire Council, City of York Council and other local organisations are also supporting with local knowledge and information to support the strategy. We have worked closely with a wide range of people and groups across the county to help develop the strategy. We will also continue to work closely with North Yorkshire’s protected landscapes and Natural England.

How has the strategy been produced?  

The development of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy for North Yorkshire and York was overseen by a steering group with representatives of key partners and stakeholders. The advisory group (steering group) is chaired by our project manager for the strategy.

The following organisations are members of the advisory group:

• North Yorkshire Council
• City of York Council
• North Yorkshire and York Local Nature Partnership
• North and East Yorkshire Ecological Data Centre
• Forest of Bowland National Landscape
• Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
• Nidderdale National Landscape
• Howardian Hills National Landscape
• North York Moors National Park Authority
• Natural England
• Environment Agency
• Forestry Commission
• Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
• White Rose Forest
• Yorkshire Catchment Hub
• Yorkshire Marine Nature Partnership
• National Farmers Union

What have we already done to protect nature in North Yorkshire and York?

A range of organisations are already helping to protect nature. The North Yorkshire and York Local Nature Partnership is promoting the value of nature to all and highlighting how nature can help address issues and create opportunities in the business and health sectors. Environmental organisations like the river catchment partnerships, White Rose Forest and Yorkshire Peat Partnership are working with land managers to explore how habitat creation can lead to additional benefits, including financial income, reducing the risk of flooding, better air and water quality and capturing carbon from the atmosphere. These are all supported by many people working on local projects on the ground to help nature recover.

The Local Nature Recovery Strategy will work to collect all this knowledge and activity to understand where we need to focus our efforts in the coming months and years.

Share what you are doing already

Inspire us! If you have stories, photos or case studies about supporting nature, wildlife and biodiversity, we’d love to hear what you’ve been up to. If you'd like to share something or sign up for updates, please contact us.