How Lancashire plans to breathe new life into nature and its habitats

A plan is set to be drawn up to help give a boost to Lancashire’s natural environment and the wildlife that depends on it.
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The county has been named as one of the areas that the government will require to produce a Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

The document will map out proposals for specific schemes designed to deliver its aims of promoting nature's return and resilience in different parts of the region.

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Lancashire County Council has agreed that it will act as the responsible authority for the work, following consultation with fellow top-tier councils in Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen.

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County Hall’s cabinet member for environment and climate change Shaun Turner says he wants the strategy to come up with projects that have multiple environmental - and even economic - benefits.

“We could have a flood resilience scheme that also increases biodiversity, supports different species, maybe keeps rivers clean [and] maybe is [also] a place people go and visit,” he told the cabinet meeting at which the county council's leading role was agreed.

County Cllr Turner also stressed the need to partner with a range of other groups in order for Lancashire’s nature recovery vision to become a reality - but did not not shy away from the challenge of environmental collaboration.

It's hoped that the nature recovery strategy will benefit wildlife, the environment and the economy in places like the Trough of BowlandIt's hoped that the nature recovery strategy will benefit wildlife, the environment and the economy in places like the Trough of Bowland
It's hoped that the nature recovery strategy will benefit wildlife, the environment and the economy in places like the Trough of Bowland
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“There are a lot of organisations…involved in this area and [the strategy] outlines how we're going to work with them. Admittedly, all [of them will have] their own red lines, but we can work around that and, together, we’ll knock together a comprehensive plan.

“[For instance], I'm often asked about tree planting, [but] you need the land to plant the trees - so we’re going to have to work really closely with landowners to bring some of this stuff forward and…connect up some of [these] schemes to create nature corridors.

“So it’s more complex than it first looks,” he warned.

The nature recovery strategies to be developed nationwide - starting this month - could use planning system mechanisms, like a requirement for developers to increase biodiversity within the sites on which they build, in order to achieve their ambitions.

County Cllr Shaun Turner says that Lancashire's nature recovery vision will require the co-operation of many groups and organisationsCounty Cllr Shaun Turner says that Lancashire's nature recovery vision will require the co-operation of many groups and organisations
County Cllr Shaun Turner says that Lancashire's nature recovery vision will require the co-operation of many groups and organisations

In Lancashire’s case, the county council's work to strengthen the Biological Heritage Site system is set to form a key element of the local strategy.

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In developing the plan, the authority will have to collate relevant local and national data and consult with interested organisations to identify the problems that the strategy seeks to address via nature-based solutions.

It is expected that the management of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy in Lancashire will be overseen by a group made up of representatives from the county council and the local authorities covering Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen, operating through a series of task groups focusing on particular issues.

County Hall has been given an initial £48,000 government grant to cover the cost of the preparatory work involved in producing the strategy.

Its status as the responsible authority does not place any additional burdens on the county council to deliver any of the schemes that are ultimately proposed within the plan, much of which is expected to be realised via partnership activity.