The Kent & Medway Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) has officially launched, becoming the 18th of 48 strategies to be produced across England under the Environment Act 2021.
Defra appointed Kent County Council (KCC) to lead the Strategy in 2023. After extensive engagement, public consultation, and project work, the final plan is now ready to tackle the challenges facing Kent’s natural environment.
The Strategy sets out agreed priorities for nature recovery and, through an interactive mapping portal, identifies actions and locations where the greatest contribution can be made. It is designed to help any organisation or individual take forward nature recovery in their area by providing the information and advice needed.
Key priorities include:
- bringing nature closer to people and improving health through urban nature recovery, for example, tree planting to enhance air quality and provide shade during increasingly hot summers.
- protecting Kent’s varied coastline, with measures such as seagrass restoration highlighted by the Zoological Society of London. This work has created habitats for seahorses and provided food for wintering Brent Geese on the Thames Estuary.
Crucial to the future of Kent and Medway’s biodiversity
Cllr Simon Curry, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Strategic Regeneration, said: “The Strategy is crucial to the future of Kent and Medway’s biodiversity and wildlife habitats, and we now have the responsibility to put all its proposals into practice. A huge thanks to the team at KCC for the work done to produce such a comprehensive and far-reaching report. We need to stop and reverse the decline in nature across our country and here in Kent and Medway we now have the strategy to help achieve this.”
Vital step in protecting and enhancing our natural environment
David Wimble, KCC’s Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “The Kent & Medway Local Nature Recovery Strategy is a vital step in protecting and enhancing our natural environment. It gives us a clear, shared vision for how we can all work together to make nature recovery a reality.
‘This is about creating spaces for wildlife, improving health and wellbeing, and ensuring future generations can enjoy Kent’s unique landscapes. I’m proud that Kent is leading the way and look forward to seeing the positive impact this Strategy will deliver.”
The Strategy is voluntary, but it connects its priorities to funding opportunities, making it easier for landowners and organisations to access financial support for nature recovery projects. It will also guide local planning decisions and will ensure that funding from new developments is directed towards actions that benefit nature through biodiversity net gain.
Brought together the local people
Dr Edel McGurk, Natural England’s Regional Director Southeast, said: “This Strategy is a rallying call for bold, collective action for nature and for people in Kent.
“The scale and quality of engagement led by KCC throughout the development of the Kent and Medway LNRS has been outstanding, with huge amounts of collaboration and creative thinking to bring it to life.
“It has brought together the local people with the ambition and ideas to make nature recovery happen in a way which meets the needs of people living and working here.”
Improve the fortunes for wildlife
Farmer Claire Eckley, said: “Kent is still largely a rural county, and many farms are already providing a haven for wildlife, but most don’t have any protection for nature. The fact that this nature recovery strategy has a strong focus on these areas, provides an opportunity to direct more action on the ground.
“At present, many farmers are having to diversify their approach to maintain a consistent income, therefore when a Strategy for nature recovery is presented alongside new funding streams, this will be an increasingly appealing proposition.
“On a personal level, I look forward to continuing to improve the fortunes for wildlife and to deliver the Kent & Medway Local Nature Recovery Strategy in my area.”
Kent County Council’s Nature Recovery team thanks everyone who contributed to developing the Strategy. The team will now support delivery on the ground and monitor progress in the months and years ahead.
The mapping element of the Strategy was made possible thanks to the dedicated work of Kent Wildlife Trust, the Kent & Medway Biological Records Centre, and Kent County Council’s GIS analysts.
You can read the full strategy on the Making Space for Nature Kent website.
Defra will continue to fund the Nature Recovery team at KCC to facilitate delivery of the strategy and to ensure that monitoring and reporting is carried out effectively.
The Strategy will not prevent development from happening, but will inform future Local Plans, on land-use planning, and inform development management through biodiversity net gain.
The Strategy itself will be reviewed, revised and republished on a regular cycle, which must happen every 3 to 10 years.