Fifteen years ago, following recommendations from the Government’s Lawton Report¹, The Wildlife Trusts stepped forward to ensure wildlife sites could become adaptable in the face of the climate crisis.

We pioneered the concept of Living Landscapes; a bold vision to restore nature at scale, reconnect habitats, and put wildlife back on the map. In simple terms, and to quote Professor Sir John Lawton, “More, bigger, better and joined up areas for nature”. Since then, other organisations have followed and collectively we’ve been working tirelessly to make Lawton’s vision a reality. It’s encouraging to see government policy finally catching up with the launch of Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS); a potentially transformative tool to guide nature’s recovery across England.

LNRSs mark a significant shift in how we plan for nature. For the first time, spatial data on habitats, species, and opportunities for restoration will be made publicly accessible. This opens doors for farmers, developers, businesses, and communities to engage with nature recovery across the whole of England, in a way never possible before. It also creates a platform for environmental organisations to collaborate more effectively, aligning their efforts sharing priorities and working across landscapes rather than in isolation.

The potential is huge.

These strategies could help unlock investment, inform land-use decisions, and support the delivery of biodiversity net gain and other environmental targets. They could also help bridge the gap between national ambitions and local action, something that’s been missing for far too long.

However, the reality on the ground is more complex. While the concept is sound, the quality and consistency of the data used to develop each strategy varies significantly. Different methodologies, levels of stakeholder engagement, and resource constraints mean stitching together strategies across county boundaries is proving difficult. Nature doesn’t recognise administrative borders, and if we’re serious about recovery at scale, we need a more joined-up approach. 

In our patch

Warwickshire County Council have led on Warwickshire’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy and the West Midlands Combined Authority have led on a separate initiative, including Coventry and Solihull. The Trust has provided data, expertise and insight for both, trying to shape the process to get the best outcome for wildlife. However, the outputs vary and highlight how challenging it is to join up the approach across England.

The biggest concern now is the lack of funding and legal backing to turn these strategies into action. Without dedicated resources and a clear statutory framework, there’s a risk LNRSs become just another set of maps. Well-intentioned but ultimately ineffective. This is especially worrying given the current political climate, where nature is under pressure from proposed reforms to planning and infrastructure policy. If these reforms go ahead unchecked, they could undermine the very strategies designed to protect and restore our natural environment.

So, while we welcome the LNRS initiative, we must be clear about its limitations. Maps alone won’t save nature. What’s needed is political will, investment, and legislation to turn strategy into delivery. It’s important to remember that we are facing an ecological emergency and 16% of all wildlife in the UK is under threat from extinction in our lifetimes.

But there is hope. Nature recovery is not just the responsibility of government or conservation organisations; it’s something we can all be part of. Whether it’s planting wildflowers, supporting local wildlife groups, or making space for nature in our gardens, communities, parks and farms small actions add up. We all need nature, for our health, our climate, and our future. And nature needs us. We’re the first generation that realises we are destroying our planet and the last that can do anything about it.

The time to act is now!

Encourage others to take action by adding your action onto our #TeamWilder map and inspiring others to help in any way they can.

Add your actions

Make sure these strategies don’t just sit on shelves. Let’s use them to inspire action, build partnerships, and create a future where wildlife thrives once again.

Follow the Wildlife Trusts on social media for the latest on our response to proposed Government changes to wildlife laws. Join our calls to protect nature and its recovery.

References

[1] Lawton, J.H. (2010) Making Space for Nature: a review of England’s wildlife sites and ecological network. Report to Defra. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-space-for-nature-a-review-of-englands-wildlife-sites-published-today