Get up to speed on local nature recovery strategies (LNRS)

Local nature recovery strategies (LNRS) came into force through the 2021 Environment Act, bringing in new obligations for 48 ‘responsible authorities’ (RAs) – typically county councils and mayoral combined authorities across England – to recover nature.

The act requires RAs to prepare an LNRS for their areas in collaboration with partners from the private, public and voluntary sectors. Since then, information has been arriving slowly from government.

Local Nature Recovery Strategies – A Pathway To Prosperity is a new IEMA paper written by Andrew Clark, principal ecologist at the Merseyside Environmental Advisory Service. It provides an overview of what LNRSs are, what we know, policy context and what comes next so that all environmental professionals linked to LNRSs, land managers and local authorities are up to speed.

The paper looks at how to prepare an LNRS, key stakeholders in the process and wider environmental benefits, and considers the strategic significance of different locations for action. It also talks about different delivery mechanisms, including biodiversity net gain, statutory biodiversity duty and others such as available funds and grants, agri-environment schemes and emerging carbon and nutrient markets.

The paper is full of links to legislation, information and guidance from government, and primers and additional information from other organisations. Its aim is to help stakeholders feel confident about getting involved or getting started.

You can find the paper online in the IEMA reading room.