July 2022
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This conference examined the key priorities and next steps for biodiversity, wildlife protection and ecological restoration in England - as well as practicalities if Government targets are to be met for restoration of wildlife habitat and halting species decline.
It was a timely opportunity to examine the issues against the backdrop of a raft of policy developments, with areas of discussion including:
- the Nature Recovery Green Paper - priorities for its expected publication
- Biodiversity Net Gain - how will it work in practice
- the Landscapes Review - with government considering its response
- Local Nature Recovery Strategies - looking at next steps for development
It also took place in the context of wider policy developments including the Environment Act, the Agriculture Act and the Government’s commitment to review and refresh the 25 Year Environment Plan.
Sessions looked at environmental land management, including the Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Recovery schemes alongside the Sustainable Farming Incentive and moves towards making space for nature in the farmed landscape, changes to land use and habitat restoration.
The agenda was structured to bring out latest thinking on:
- biodiversity and wildlife protection - targets for tackling species decline - wildlife habitat restoration - the planned Nature Recovery Green Paper
- environmental land management - assessing government ambitions - practicalities and challenges - opportunities - potential impact - developing best practice
- biodiversity and species protection targets - Biodiversity Net Gain in practice - integration with planning and wider policy, including the Government’s 5 Environmental Principles
- local initiatives - latest developments - learning from the Local Nature Recovery Strategies pilots - coordination with other local plans and spatial strategies
We were pleased to be able to include keynote sessions with: Tony Juniper, Chair, Natural England; and Edward Barker, Director, Natural Environment, Trees & Landscapes, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The conference was an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who attended from Defra; Ofwat; NIEA; BEIS; the DfT; ORR; the Planning Inspectorate; DAERA, NI; Geospatial Commission; Department for Infrastructure, NI; POST; the Isle of Man Government and the Welsh Government - as well as parliamentary pass-holders from both Houses of Parliament.
