Agenda item

A presentation to provide members with an overview of the background, context and objectives of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) for North Yorkshire and York,

The Chair introduced Tris Terry, Local Nature Recovery Strategy Project Manager.

Mr Terry presented a detailed power-point presentation to Members which provided them with an overview of the background, context and objectives of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) for North Yorkshire and York, an update on current progress with the preparation of the strategy, along with an overview of the work undertaken to date which highlighted the following: 

·       The LNRS was a new, England-wide system of spatial strategies established by clauses 104 to 108 of the Environment Act 2021.

·       NYC was appointed as the responsible authority for the development of the LNRS for North Yorkshire and York (North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council administrative area).  There were also four supporting authorities aiding with the development of the strategy: North York Moors National Park Authority, Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, City of York Council and Natural England.

·       Each Strategy would, for the area that it covered: agree priorities for nature’s recovery, map the most valuable existing areas for nature, and map specific proposals for creating or improving habitat for nature and wider environmental goals.

·       Looked at core areas of existing good habitat with a high biodiversity value with the aim of expanding the areas then creating new stepping stones of habitat between those core areas which would allow species to move more easily between the areas. 

·       Provide public community access to the nature spaces, if appropriate to do so.

·       Agree priorities for natures recovery working with regional stakeholders and experts on what the most important things that should be done are.

·       Map specific proposals for creating or improving habitat.

·       Identify co-benefits such as carbon storage, climate change adaptation and mitigation, flood alleviation, access to nature and health and wellbeing.

·       A public consultation ran from November 2023 to February 2024, asking for the public’s views on nature: 550 responses were received.

·       Held 11 workshops with land managers and farmers across the County in February 2024.

·       Produced a shortlist of 38 nature recovery priorities for North Yorkshire and York.

·       A draft consultation document for the LNRS to be ready for January 2025, a statutory public consultation on the draft strategy has been programmed from April 2025 to the end of May 2025.  A copy of the publication draft would then go back out to public consultation in July 2025.

·       NYC were aiming to publish the first iteration of the LNRS in September 2025.

Upon the conclusion of the presentation, Mr Terry responded to Member questions on various matters raised to include funding figures and how success would be measured.

Councillor Jabbour thanked the officers for the events, seminars and workshops that had been organised with Councillors and landowners and praised them for their engagement with the local communities. 

It was confirmed that the LNRS was non-binding. Its objective was to set out high-level strategic priorities and measures (practical actions) to support nature recovery across North Yorkshire and York, but the LNRS did not obligate anyone (including NYC) to carry these out. The intention was that the LNRS would help to guide and direct where actions to support nature should be taken (and what the most beneficial actions would be) but it did not commit anyone, either NYC or individual landowners, to actually undertake those actions. Decisions to carry out particular actions in particular locations would be entirely voluntary.

The Chair thanked Mr Terry for attending.

Resolved –

That the report be noted.