Oxfordshire residents, landowners, businesses, farmers and other organisations are being offered the chance to help shape the priorities for recovering areas of nature and wildlife across the county.
Published: Monday, 21st October 2024
Last year, Oxfordshire County Council was named by the government as a responsible authority for driving nature recovery. The council is one of 48 authorities who have been funded by the government to work with local people and organisations to develop a local nature recovery strategy (LNRS).
When it is finalised, the LNRS will be used by teams across Cherwell District Council to inform decisions about green spaces and other natural habitats and Cherwell has supported the process of creating the current draft strategy.
Comments are now being sought on Oxfordshire’s draft LNRS as part of a consultation which runs until 26 November 2024. The document, maps and online survey are available at the Let’s Talk Oxfordshire website.
Councillor Tom Beckett, Portfolio Holder for Greener Communities, said: “The Local Nature Recovery Strategy supports this council’s ambition for a greener and more biodiverse district and its commitment to respond to the climate emergency.
“The final strategy will help direct actions and funding to the areas that will make the most difference. It will be used by teams across this council to inform important decisions about the design and management of green spaces, trees, hedgerows and other important habitats.
“To help us make it the best vision for nature recovery it can be, we need our residents’ insights. Tell us about the places you know and love and how they could be improved, for nature and for future generations.”
The LNRS aims to address the loss of biodiversity by working with people and organisations across Oxfordshire to agree a written list of the priorities and actions to support biodiversity.
It will also map some of the actions that could support biodiversity onto an online map of the county to help people understand where there are particularly important locations to deliver some work to improve or create habitats to support wildlife.
The government expects partners in the county to focus future funding opportunities towards achieving these key local biodiversity priorities.
As habitats are improved, restored, created and connected to benefit biodiversity, they also offer a great range of wider benefits that underpin the health and wellbeing of people in Oxfordshire.
By improving the county’s natural habitats, Oxfordshire can expect cleaner air and water, more carbon to be stored, flood impacts to be reduced, and a healthier environment for future generations.
LNRS project manager Chloe Edwards said: “You don’t have to be a wildlife expert to give your views. We want to hear from everyone to see if you agree that we’ve got the priorities and actions right for Oxfordshire’s habitats and wildlife.
“This will help the LNRS to focus the recommendations on which habitats to improve and create in Oxfordshire to create a shared vision that could make a significant difference towards recovering biodiversity if people and organisations are supported to deliver those habitat actions within the next 10 years. This will have great benefits for Oxfordshire’s future generations.
“Responses to this consultation will provide the LNRS team with more information to help prepare and publish the final strategy including opportunities, benefits and measures for nature recovery in Oxfordshire.”
The LNRS is due to be published in spring 2025. The strategy is expected to provide a framework that people and organisations across Oxfordshire can start using to work together and focus future nature recovery work across Oxfordshire.
The LNRS development process is led by Oxfordshire County Council in partnership with local organisations including the Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership, the district and city councils, Natural England, the Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Wild Oxfordshire, the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust, the University of Oxford, Community Action Groups (CAG) Oxfordshire and many more.