Natural Choices

1. Natural Choices Greening the Gateway Kent & Medway 11 June 2011

2. What’s the moon got to do with it ?

4. 2011

5. Making Space for Nature – Lawton Review 2010 • We propose that the overarching aim for England’s ecological network should be to deliver a natural environment where: Compared to the situation in 2000, biodiversity is enhanced and the diversity, functioning and resilience of ecosystems re-established in a network of spaces for nature that can sustain these levels into the future, even given continuing environmental change and human pressures. • We also recommend that this be underpinned by three objectives: • To restore species and habitats appropriate to England’s physical and geographical context to levels that are sustainable in a changing climate, and enhanced in comparison with those in 2000. • To restore and secure the long-term sustainability of the ecological and physical processes that underpin the way ecosystems work, thereby enhancing the capacity of our natural environment to provide ecosystem services such as clean water, climate regulation and crop pollination, as well as providing habitats for wildlife. • To provide accessible natural environments rich in wildlife for people to enjoy and experience.

6. Establishing a coherent and resilient ecological network Making Space for Nature included 24 wide-ranging recommendations. Five themes unite them: (i) We need to continue the recent progress in improving the management and condition of wildlife sites, particularly our SSSIs. We also make recommendations for how these should be designated and managed in ways that enhance their resilience to climate change. (ii) We need to properly plan ecological networks, including restoration areas. Restoration needs to take place throughout England. However, in some areas, both the scale of what can be delivered to enhance the network, and the ensuing benefits for wildlife and people, will be very high. These large areas should be formally recognised as Ecological Restoration Zones (ERZs). (iii) There are a large number of surviving patches of important wildlife habitat scattered across England outside of SSSIs, for example in Local Wildlife Sites. We need to take steps to improve the protection and management of these remaining wildlife habitats. ‘Protection’ will usually be best achieved through incentive-based mechanisms, but at times may require designation. (iv) We need to become better at deriving multiple benefits from the ways we use and interact with our environment. There are many things that society has to do that may seem to have rather little to do with nature conservation, but could have, or even should have if we embrace more radical thinking; flood management by creating wetlands is an obvious example. We need to exploit these ‘win-win’ opportunities to the full. Being better at valuing a wider range of ecosystem services would help this process. (v) We will not achieve a step-change in nature conservation in England without society accepting it to be necessary, desirable, and achievable. This will require strong leadership from government and significant improvements in collaboration between local authorities, local communities, statutory agencies, the voluntary and private sectors, farmers, landowners and other land-managers and individual citizens

7. Ecological Restoration Zones – Nature Improvement Areas - Ecosystem services and LSD

8. Think Global – Act Local (ism?) – NEWP 2011

11. Joint Statement in Response to the Natural Environment White Paper • The Environment Agency, Forestry Commission England and Natural England welcome the publication of the Natural Environment White Paper. We will work together, and with our partners and customers, so that government, business and civil society can successfully deliver the ambitious proposals it sets out. • We share the vision set out in the White Paper that: “by 2060, our essential natural assets will be contributing fully to robust and resilient ecosystems, providing a wide range of goods and services so that increasing numbers of people enjoy benefits from a healthier natural environment." • We will each play our part in achieving this vision and will, wherever we can, work together, and with landowners and managers, businesses, civil society organisations and local communities, to ensure that our efforts are coordinated and make the best use of available resources. The Natural Environment White Paper sets out how together we can start to tackle the challenges ahead, for example, by:  Giving local people more involvement in the natural environment and helping them to realise the benefits.  Helping to develop a thriving green economy, developing payments for ecosystem services and addressing barriers to using green infrastructure to promote sustainable growth.  Helping to deliver the Government’s ambitions for resilient ecological networks, biodiversity recovery, sustainable agriculture, healthy woods and forests, an improved water environment and a better protected marine environment.  Taking action to address the risks and consequences of climate change and other pressures.  Delivering conservation at the landscape scale, including through Nature Improvement Areas.  Further improving how we monitor progress and provide access to environmental information. • Ensuring that the true value of nature is recognised by society, holds the key to creating better places and ensuring a green and growing economy. The Natural Environment White Paper provides a long term vision for this. We look forward to working with others to make this vision a reality. Environment Agency Forestry Commission England Natural England