Bedfordshire stakeholders working together for nature

Central Bedfordshire Council are working with Luton Borough Council, Bedford Borough Council and the Bedfordshire Local Nature Partnership to develop a Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) for Bedfordshire. The LNRS will set out priorities for nature recovery in the county and which areas provide the best opportunity to support deliver these priorities.

The UK is in the bottom 10% globally in terms of having a poor and diminishing natural environment.  The approach over the past 70 years has been to focus on nature conservation, preserving existing pockets of nature. Sadly, this has not stopped the decline in nature. We need to create more, bigger, better and more joined up places for nature to thrive.

We will be running a survey later in September and into October to capture views on priorities for nature. If you would like to take part, please visit our website here

https://bedslocalnaturerecoverystrategy.commonplace.is or email lnrs@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

We are particularly keen to hear from farmers and landowners. As landowners and land managers, your on-the-ground knowledge and experience will help us ensure the outcomes of the strategy are ambition but deliverable.

Local Nature Recovery Strategies are part of a government commitment to improving nature. 48 strategies will be created throughout England, setting out the priorities for nature recovery across each county.

They will align with other national and local initiatives for nature including Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes and local plans.

By helping nature, we benefit too. The natural world provides us with the vital services we need to survive such as clean water, flood protection and healthy soil. It provides us with health benefits through exercise and connection with nature where we live.