It is a busy time in the development of the Essex Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), with public consultation set to take place this summer.

Made mandatory by the Environment Act 2021, Local Nature Recovery Strategies are a new tool aimed at delivering greater collaboration and clearly defined priorities and actions, to recover nature and deliver environmental benefits across England.

In Essex, Essex County Council (ECC) and the Essex Nature Partnership are working to engage with farmers, landowners, environmental groups, community stakeholders and the general public in the creation of the Essex LNRS, before draft documentation is shared as part of the public consultation.

One in six species in Great Britain are reported to be at risk of being lost, so there has never been a greater urgency for effective and coordinated action to restore lost habitats, create new habitats and give wildlife the best opportunity to recover.

Over the coming months, work is ongoing on the development of the strategy as the LNRS team continues designing, drafting and mapping draft documentation ready for the public consultation period. During this time ECC and the Essex Nature Partnership will be working with stakeholders to develop a list of biodiversity priorities and key actions to achieving those priorities.

At the same time, nature recovery opportunity maps will be created to highlight areas where interventions will deliver the most benefit to nature and the wider environment, as well as where wildlife success stories can be expanded or where there is the greatest need for intervention. There will also be an ongoing programme of events to demonstrate the potential benefits of an effective LNRS and encourage the widest possible engagement.

Individual sessions have focused on helping environmental groups, farmers and landowners, town and parish councils, and members of the public better understand how the Essex LNRS will be created and the impact it will have on our natural spaces. Informative videos, articles and FAQs can now be found at the Essex Nature Partnership website.

Here you will also find the latest updates on the progress of the LNRS and anyone who would like to have their say on the future of our natural spaces in Essex can sign up to receive the Essex Nature Partnership newsletter too.

Simply visit: https://essexnaturepartnership.co.uk/what-is-the-lnrs/