Berkshire's Local Nature Recovery Strategy

It will be a blueprint for Berkshire's Nature Recovery Network that will help us prioritise where and how we should invest and target action in the short-term. In so doing, it will be a crucial delivery plan for the long-term ambitions of each Local Authority's Biodiversity Action Plans, Climate strategies and more.

The Berkshire LNRS will help to guide:

• Planning and development: How and where developers will deliver their new Biodiversity Net Gain duties - including the delivery of biodiversity offsetting and by identifying spatial allocations for nature.
• Agri-environment funding: It will help shape how future funding for farmers and land managers will be used under the new Environmental Land Management Scheme.
• Nature-based solutions: It may strengthen local ambitions for nature-based solutions to climate change by identifying priority areas for trees, wetland and other key habitats.
• Investment: It aims to help to attract and guide future investment in Berkshire's Nature Recovery Network.

The Steering Group for the strategy is chaired by the Berkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy Manager and comprises representatives of key partners and stakeholders.

The membership of the Steering group is:

• Berkshire Nature Partnership
• Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust
• Wokingham Borough council, representing Berkshire ecologists
• West Berkshire Council representing local authorities of Berkshire
• Natural England
• Environment Agency
• Forestry Commission
• NFU (National Farmers Union)
• The Crown Estate
• University of Reading, Head, Agri-Environment Group
• The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead - Climate Change and Biodiversity Cabinet member

These have been defined and published by the Berkshire Local Nature Partnership. The aim of identifying such areas was to protect biodiversity and reverse past losses by enlarging, buffering and reconnecting priority habitats, through the targeted establishment of new wildlife-rich areas, in optimum areas of the county. This is very closely linked to the aim of the local nature recovery strategies. BOAs, along with other information, will be used to help inform potential recovery sites on the Local Habitat Map.

Summer 2023 - Preparing for consultation, Baseline Map creation

Autumn 2023 - Introductory Webinars, Species Longlist creation

Winter 2023 - Engagement Survey, Analysis of Engagement Survey

Spring 2024 - Stakeholder Consultations, Species Shortlist creation

Summer 2024 - Data prioritisation, Progress Update Webinar, Opportunity Map creation, List of Priorities creation

Autumn 2024 - Draft LNRS to SAs and neighbouring RAs, RBWM cabinet and council

Winter 2024 - Public consultation, approval of LNRS by SAs

Spring 2025 - RBWM cabinet, Publication of Berkshire LNRS

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead is responsible for producing the strategy. It will have a role in implementing it. This will become clearer with further guidance from DEFRA on delivery. Delivery of the strategy will begin after creation, likely in late 2024. The supporting authorities (Bracknell Forest Council, Reading Borough Council, Slough Borough Council, West Berkshire Council, Wokingham Borough Council and Natural England) will assist with production of the strategy.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead are responsible for reporting on progress and periodically updating the strategy, every 3-10 years. The exact timing of this will be detailed by DEFRA. Supporting authorities have related biodiversity enhancement and reporting duties too, under section 102 and 103 of the Environment Act.

A dedicated webpage for the Berkshire LNRS will be available soon, and linked here.

Please find links below to relevant authorities and stakeholders regarding the LNRS.

Berkshire Local Nature Partnership

Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust

Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre

Lessons learnt from pilot Local Nature Recovery Strategies (GOV.UK)

Bracknell Forest Council

Reading Borough Council

Slough Borough Council

West Berkshire Council

Wokingham Borough Council