Local Nature Recovery Strategy Consultation
Take part in the public consultation to help prepare the West Midlands Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS). There are 48 LNRSs covering the whole of England – the aim is for them to protect and improve nature and the environment. They are required by law, under the Environment Act 2021. The WMCA is the Responsible Authority for producing the LNRS for the West Midlands.
The West Midlands LNRS consultation is running from Friday 15th August till Friday 12th September.
Before you respond to the consultation, we suggest you:
- Watch the LNRS explainer video (above)
- Read the draft Local Nature Recovery Strategy
- Watch the LNRS mapping explainer video
- Explore the mapping
There are two different versions of the consultation available:
- Quick version - hosted on Commonplace, this consultation will take less time and require less detail.
- Detailed version - hosted on Snap, this consultation will take more time and require a more detailed response.
You can choose which version is most suitable to you/your organisation.
Further information is available in the WMCA State of Nature Report.
Contact us
If you have any questions about the LNRS or the consultation, please reach out to WestMidlandsLNRS@wmca.org.uk
Further Information
The requirement for Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) across the whole of England were set out in the Environment Act 2021. Following this in March 2023 DEFRA published the Local nature recovery strategy statutory guidance - What a local nature recovery strategy should contain document which sits alongside the The Environment (Local Nature Recovery Strategies) (Procedure) Regulations 2023 (LNRS Regs).
The LNRS Regs came into force on 13th April 2023 with the WMCA being appointed as Responsible Authority for delivering the LNRS for the West Midlands region in June 2023.
What is the LNRS?
Local nature recovery strategies are a system of spatial strategies for nature and environmental improvement required by law under the Act. Each strategy must:
- agree priorities for nature’s recovery;
- map the most valuable existing areas for nature; and
- map specific proposals for creating or improving habitat for nature and wider environmental goals (adopting nature-based solutions).
Together, the strategies will cover the whole of England with no gaps and no overlaps. The main purpose of the strategies is to identify locations to create or improve habitat most likely to provide the greatest benefit for nature and the wider environment.
The strategies do not force the owners and managers of the land identified to make any changes. Instead, the government is encouraging action through, for example, opportunities for funding and investment. Having both actions for nature recovery and nature-based solutions will help join up work to improve how land is managed for different environmental reasons and find activities that have multiple benefits.