North Yorkshire and York residents are being urged to have their say on a plan aiming to take action and help nature to thrive.
A consultation has been launched on the draft Local Nature Recovery Strategy before it is published in the autumn.
We are responsible for preparing the strategy, which identifies locations to improve nature and provide benefits such as capturing carbon from the atmosphere, flood regulation and access to nature-rich spaces to better support health and wellbeing.
It also provides details on how to increase woodland cover or create wetlands, confirms the most valuable areas for nature, and maps locations for creating and improving habitat.
Executive member for managing our environment, Cllr Richard Foster, said: “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.
“Whilst some species thrive, others continue to struggle and, in many cases, this can be put down to land management.
“Working together with landowners and farmers, there is a huge opportunity to improve this situation by improving existing and creating new habitats. Alongside other measures, we can start to protect some of our rarest and most endangered species.”
As required by law under the Environment Act 2021, every county in England must produce a Local Nature Recovery Strategy. These strategies will work together to restore, create and connect habitats across England.
It will also help to direct several new funding streams for farmers and land managers, and will work in partnership with Biodiversity Net Gain, which is a new planning requirement to ensure habitat for wildlife is left in a better state than it was before the development process began.
The opportunities in North Yorkshire are particularly pronounced as it is England’s largest county, with vast swathes of countryside where nature can thrive.
To date, we have consulted with hundreds of people including farmers and land managers on what is most important to them. It has also worked with Natural England, Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and North York Moors National Park Authority to ensure that local knowledge, expertise and data can help support the strategy.
The Government has asked North Yorkshire Council and the City of York Council to work together on the strategy, as both local authority areas share a common landscape and river network.
City of York Council’s executive member for environment, Cllr Jenny Kent, said: “York and North Yorkshire have some of the best landscapes in Britain, but many species are struggling to survive. Mapping our habitats helps ensure that we work with nature, not against it, in all that we do, and local knowledge and involvement is crucial.
“Work on this strategy has already shown that in urban spaces like York, around a third of the opportunities for protecting and enhancing nature is in private gardens, which can provide connections and green corridors for our wonderful wildlife. I really encourage you to share your views on the draft strategy to ensure the greatest positive impact.”
The deadline for comments is Monday, 11 August. Take part in the consultation and view key documents.
The website provides details about face-to-face events where people can share their views in person. Any landowner, land manager or farmer across North Yorkshire and York who would like to discuss how the strategy relates to the land that they own or manage, can also book a 30-minute one-to-one session online or in person.