Berkshire's Local Nature Recovery Strategy
Now is a really exciting time for nature.
We need to think about where Berkshire nature needs our help the most and how people can benefit from giving nature a hand. Help us decide.
Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRSs) are spatial strategies to recover nature across England: part of the 2021 Environment Act. Together, they will cover the country in a Nature Recovery Network (NRN).
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead are excited to be the Responsible Authority (RA) for our Berkshire LNRS. Bracknell, Reading, Slough, West Berkshire and Wokingham are supporting authorities with Natural England. They are helping to contribute to the strategy. Updates on the progress of the LNRS are posted below.
Visualisation of stakeholder views on Berkshire Nature Recovery. Credits to Natalie Ganpatsingh.
Each LNRS will map areas of current particular importance for biodiversity, and work with partners from many groups, from landowners to businesses, to eNGOs, and the public. Priorities for nature recovery will be agreed and these will be used to create a local habitat map. These will depict what needs to happen to achieve the agreed aims for nature. This will link up with delivery mechanisms, such as Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for planning and Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes for land management including farming.
Find a blog here from Natural England for more information on Local Nature Recovery Strategies.
Now is a really exciting time for nature.
We need to think about where Berkshire nature needs our help the most and how people can benefit from giving nature a hand. Help us decide.
Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRSs) are spatial strategies to recover nature across England: part of the 2021 Environment Act. Together, they will cover the country in a Nature Recovery Network (NRN).
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead are excited to be the Responsible Authority (RA) for our Berkshire LNRS. Bracknell, Reading, Slough, West Berkshire and Wokingham are supporting authorities with Natural England. They are helping to contribute to the strategy. Updates on the progress of the LNRS are posted below.
Visualisation of stakeholder views on Berkshire Nature Recovery. Credits to Natalie Ganpatsingh.
Each LNRS will map areas of current particular importance for biodiversity, and work with partners from many groups, from landowners to businesses, to eNGOs, and the public. Priorities for nature recovery will be agreed and these will be used to create a local habitat map. These will depict what needs to happen to achieve the agreed aims for nature. This will link up with delivery mechanisms, such as Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for planning and Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes for land management including farming.
Find a blog here from Natural England for more information on Local Nature Recovery Strategies.
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What will the strategy be useful for?
Share What will the strategy be useful for? on Facebook Share What will the strategy be useful for? on Twitter Share What will the strategy be useful for? on Linkedin Email What will the strategy be useful for? linkIt 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.
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Steering Group
Share Steering Group on Facebook Share Steering Group on Twitter Share Steering Group on Linkedin Email Steering Group linkThe 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
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Berkshire Biodiversity Opportunity Areas (BOAs)
Share Berkshire Biodiversity Opportunity Areas (BOAs) on Facebook Share Berkshire Biodiversity Opportunity Areas (BOAs) on Twitter Share Berkshire Biodiversity Opportunity Areas (BOAs) on Linkedin Email Berkshire Biodiversity Opportunity Areas (BOAs) linkThese 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.
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Provisional timescale
Share Provisional timescale on Facebook Share Provisional timescale on Twitter Share Provisional timescale on Linkedin Email Provisional timescale linkSummer 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
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Implementation and Delivery
Share Implementation and Delivery on Facebook Share Implementation and Delivery on Twitter Share Implementation and Delivery on Linkedin Email Implementation and Delivery linkThe 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.
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Monitoring progress
Share Monitoring progress on Facebook Share Monitoring progress on Twitter Share Monitoring progress on Linkedin Email Monitoring progress linkThe 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.
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Further information
Share Further information on Facebook Share Further information on Twitter Share Further information on Linkedin Email Further information linkA 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)
Lifecycle
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Phase 1 (September-December 2023)
Berkshire's Local Nature Recovery Strategy has finished this stageInitial engagement with stakeholders across Berkshire, through webinars, talks and a survey asking how people would like to engage.
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Phase 2 (March- April 2024)
Berkshire's Local Nature Recovery Strategy has finished this stageSecond round of engagement with stakeholders: finding out priorities for nature recovery across Berkshire, and measures to achieve this. Engagement done through a survey and 10 workshops (3 for farmers and landowners and 6 for the wider public). An online map is live for people to pin point biodiversity sites and opportunities for nature recovery.
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Phase 3 (June 2024)
Berkshire's Local Nature Recovery Strategy has finished this stageA webinar to present a first look at the collaborative targets from responses to workshops and survey. We will show the process that we are using to translate your priorities into a map of Berkshire, and hear your thoughts.
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Phase 4 (July to October)
Berkshire's Local Nature Recovery Strategy is currently at this stageFinalising the Priorities and Measures and creating the Opportunity Map. Setting targets for nature recovery, running the Marxan programme and reviewing results with stakeholder groups.
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Phase 5 (November 24-May 25)
this is an upcoming stage for Berkshire's Local Nature Recovery StrategyThe sign off process. A formal public consultation to see the drafted map and documents including a list of priorities created for the county. You can tell us what you think before we finalise the strategy. Phase also includes sign off from other Supporting Authorities and internally within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (the Responsible Authority).
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Finalisation of strategy (June 25)
this is an upcoming stage for Berkshire's Local Nature Recovery StrategyOnline publication of the finished Local Nature Recovery Strategy for Berkshire.
Progress Update Webinar slides
Progress Update Webinar Link
Documents
- LNRS Supporting Authority Factsheet.pdf (327 KB) (pdf)
- FAQs for planners across Berkshire
- FAQs - (Questions from Introductory Webinars).pdf (353 KB) (pdf)
- Public copy of LNRS_Berks_SpeciesLongList_Final.xlsx (263 KB) (xlsx)
- Explanations and examples of habitats (1).pdf (1.02 MB) (pdf)
- Visualisation of stakeholder vision for Berkshire (13.1 MB) (pdf)
- Example Habitat Assemblages.docx (13.6 KB) (docx)
- Copy for habitat explanations with HAB definitions -- Berkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy.pdf (178 KB) (pdf)
Sign up to our mailing list
Responsible Authority
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Email bnc@rbwm.gov.uk
Supporting Authorities
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Supporting Authority
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Supporting Authority
RB -
Supporting Authority
SB -
Supporting Authority
WB -
Supporting Authority
Email ecology@wokingham.gov.uk
Stakeholder Engagement Results
- Bracknell workshop draft summary of info 100424.pdf (616 KB) (pdf)
- Maidenhead workshop draft summary of info 080424.pdf (619 KB) (pdf)
- Wokingham workshop draft summary of info 200424.docx (23.9 MB) (docx)
- Slough workshop draft summary of info 160424.pdf (753 KB) (pdf)
- West Berks workshop draft summary of info 230424.pdf (705 KB) (pdf)
- Reading workshop draft summary of info 250424.pdf (877 KB) (pdf)
- Central Berks Farmers.Landowners Workshop Summary of info.pdf (484 KB) (pdf)
- West Berks Farmers.Landowners Workshop Summary of info.pdf (408 KB) (pdf)
- East Berks Farmers.Landowners Workshop Summary of info.pdf (401 KB) (pdf)
Archive of newsletters
- Berkshire Nature Recovery August 24 Update
- Berkshire Nature Recovery - June 24 Update
- Berkshire Nature Recovery - May 24 update
- Berkshire Nature Recovery April 24 update
- Berkshire Nature Recovery March 24 update
- Berkshire Nature Recovery February 24 update
- Berkshire Nature Recovery January 24 update
Berkshire Nature Recovery Media features
Introductory Webinars - Slides
- Berkshire Nature Recovery Introductory Webinar - Farmers, Landowners, Foresters and Land managers.pdf (2.3 MB) (pdf)
- Berkshire Nature Recovery Introductory Webinars - Interested Residents.pdf (2.28 MB) (pdf)
- Berkshire Nature Recovery Introductory Webinars - NGOs.pdf (2.31 MB) (pdf)
- Berkshire Nature Recovery Introductory Webinars - Councillors.pdf (2.21 MB) (pdf)
- Berkshire Nature Recovery Introductory Webinars - Public Bodies.pdf (2.31 MB) (pdf)
- Berkshire Nature Recovery Introductory Webinars - Businesses.pdf (2.28 MB) (pdf)
- Berkshire Nature Recovery Introductory Webinars - Developers.pdf (2.25 MB) (pdf)
Introductory Webinars - Recordings
- An introductory video to the Berkshire Nature Recovery Strategy, specifically for those representing local residents of Berkshire.
- An introductory video to the Berkshire Nature Recovery Strategy, specifically for those representing NGOs
- An introductory video to the Berkshire Nature Recovery Strategy, specifically for those representing local farmers, landowners, foresters and land managers.
- An introductory video to the Berkshire Nature Recovery Strategy, specifically for those representing local borough, town and parish councils.
- An introductory video to the Berkshire Nature Recovery Strategy, specifically for those representing local businesses.