Introduction to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Nature Partnership

Debbie Tann, Chief ExecutiveHampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

• First Government environmental policy for 20 years

• Fundamental change in understanding

• Critical value of natural environment as foundation for healthy economy and society

• Need for integration of policy areas – no more silos

• Key role of Local Partnerships

Natural Environment White Paper

… Our vision for Living Landscapes and Seas is where … wildlife and habitats are recovering from past declines and our resource use is better for wildlife … the natural environment is adapting well to climate change … ecosystems are healthy and functioning, underpinning the health of society and the economy … people are inspired by, and engaged in protecting, the wildlife they value

Lawton Review “Making Space for Nature”

“There is compelling evidence that England’s collection of wildlife sites are too small and too isolated, leading to declines in many of England’s characteristic species. With climate change, the situation is likely to get worse.”

“This is bad news for wildlife but also bad news for us, because the damage to nature also means our natural environment is less able to provide the many services upon which we depend.”

“We need more space for nature.”

Professor Sir John Lawton 2010

Bigger, better, more joined up

17% of Hampshire butterflies and moths lost; 9% still declining.

Every county in the UK is losing on average, one species of wild plant every two years

85% of Hampshire SSSI wetland sites are in “unfavourable no change” or “unfavourable declining” condition

Isolated nature reserves, fragmented and vulnerable

Since 1981 our population has risen by 17% but accessible green space has only increased by 5%. 80% of all accessible green space has a nature conservation designation.

UK National Ecosystem AssessmentEcosystem Services are the benefits provided by ecosystems that contribute to making human life both possible and worth living.

Products such as food and water

Processes such as regulation of floods, soil erosion control, disease outbreaks, pollination

Non-material benefits such as recreational and spiritual benefits in natural areas

Biodiversity underpins all ecosystem services

“We need an integrated, landscape-scale approach to managing the natural environment to restore declining ecosystem services”

“The natural world, its biodiversity and its ecosystems are critically important to our well-being and economic prosperity, but are consistently undervalued in conventional economic analyses and decision making.”

“We place an economic value on nature’s commodities such as food, fuel and minerals but not on the services we get from nature such as climate regulation, flood control, water purification and outdoor space for relaxation and recreation.”

“Our stock of natural capital, especially biodiversity-rich areas is seriously depleted. Our wildlife areas do not represent a coherent and resilient ecological network capable of responding to climate change or providing all the essential support services that humankind needs.”

Government vision for Local Nature Partnerships:

“In developing this White Paper, we have received one particularly clear message: effective action to benefit nature, people and the economy locally happens when the right people come together in partnership”

“We will encourage and support Local Nature Partnerships where local areas wish to establish them. These partnerships will work at a strategic scale to improve the range of benefits and services we get from a healthy natural environment.  They will aim to improve the multiple benefits we receive from the good management of the land.”

The overall purposes of an LNP are to:

“Drive positive change in the local natural environment, taking a strategic view of the challenges and opportunities involved and identifying ways to manage it as an integrated system for the benefit of nature, people and the economy.”

“Contribute to achieving the Government’s national environmental objectives locally, including the identification of local ecological networks, alongside addressing local priorities.”

“Become local champions influencing decision-making relating to the natural environment and its value to social and economic outcomes, in particular, through working closely with local authorities, Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and Health and Wellbeing Boards.”

Hants & Wight LNPCapacity building phase February – June 2012

• Currently being led by HIWWT

• Two counties plus marine

• Interim steering group of 14 supporting partners; more than 50 supporting as part of wider forum

• Building on existing local partnerships and engaging more widely

• Bid for formal recognition submitted 6 June – will hear whether successful by late July

• Using 4 Ecosystem Services themes to build workplans and priorities

• Formal Board structure to be populated in due course

LNP Area:

Hampshire

Isle of Wight

Solent and South Wight Seas

The LNP should be:• Strategic and visionary

• Challenging

• Commissioning

• Independent

• Enabling - for partnership delivery

• Learning from / using evidence

• Outputs and benefits driven

• Positive / solutions focused

• A true partnership – not relying on one or two organisations

What might the LNP do?

• Develop a shared vision and set of agreed priorities for local ecological networks / green infrastructure.

• Collective proposals for greening the local economy and enhancing the economic viability of environmental land management.

• Increase understanding of ecosystem services and how to undertake local valuations / deliver multiple benefits.

• Add value to existing work and to bring together resources, expertise and information to help decision making and delivery.

• Specifically support the “duty to cooperate” to allow strategic cross-boundary working.

• Focus on solutions and practical applications of the theory, assisting planners especially.

• Communicate and “sell” the benefits of investing in the natural environment to all sectors; develop business cases for specific audiences.

• Foster environmental leadership and a proactive and positive attitude (benefits not constraints).

• Collective proposals to enhance social, education, and wellbeing benefits from nature.

• Influence strategic planning as laid out in the NPPF.

• Potentially advise on biodiversity offsetting.

• Develop further Nature Improvement Areas.

• Support partnership projects / act as a forum for collaboration.

• Provide useful toolkits, training, seminars and research.

Adding valueAdding value

we can we can provideprovideall this… all this…

what is itwhat is itworthworthto society?to society?

+ Biodiversity

+ Meat / wool / milk

+ Timber / woodfuel

+ Fishing

+ Flood and water management

+ Carbon storage

+ Resource protection

+ Public access / recreation

+ Education

+ Aesthetic beauty

+ Health

+ Quality of life

+ Crime reduction

Provisioning services Regulating services Cultural services

Supporting services

The LNP ForumKnowledge and expertise base, source members for the service groups and board.

LNP ChairVoted in by the LNP Board Role: Strategy and Vision

LNP BoardInvited by the LNP Chair and elected by co-

members in due course, with leads assigned for each of the four service groups

Role: Strategy and VisionCooperation and Planning

Nature ambassadorInvited by the LNP Chair

Role: LNP Advocacy

LNP Co-ordinatorRole: Co-ordination of actions and policy

Developing outputs and materials

Supporting ServicesGroup

Role: Task and Finish Actions

Provisioning ServicesGroup

Role: Task and Finish Actions

Regulating ServicesGroup

Role: Task and Finish Actions

Cultural ServicesGroup

Role: Task and Finish Actions

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