Hertfordshire LNRS Consultation now open

Have your say on recovering nature in Hertfordshire!

Hertfordshire County Council is asking residents for their views on a new Local Nature Recovery Strategy [LNRS] for the county. This strategy is the culmination of over 18 months of work by the Hertfordshire Nature Recovery Partnership, with support from environmental and ecological experts, land managers, district and borough councils and other organisations and communities.

The strategy offers a comprehensive vision for nature in Hertfordshire. It aims to help us all to come together to recover and protect the county’s natural environment. Through working together to create more space for nature, we can improve air and water quality, mitigate flooding, tackle climate change and improve access to green space.

A lot of great environmental work goes on across Hertfordshire, but this strategy will help residents and organisations understand what kind of projects could be most effective in particular areas to support local biodiversity and improve certain habitats for wildlife.

You can take part in the consultation by:

• Taking the survey

• Reading the Hertfordshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy draft

• Signing up to an LNRS webinar:

  • 19 August 12pm - 1:30pm

  • 19 August 6pm - 7:30pm

The purpose of an LNRS is to enable a more joined-up, locally implemented approach to nature recovery by identifying strategic priorities for nature recovery designed for our county, the actions that need to be taken to achieve these priorities, and the areas in the county where these actions would be most impactful. An LNRS is made up of the following:

• A strategy area description. This is to describe the area’s natural environment and biodiversity and the key pressures on nature in the area.

• A list of priorities and actions* for nature recovery in the area. This is to prioritise the actions that will have the most impact on recovering nature in the area based on ecological expertise. (* ‘Actions’ are referred to as ‘measures’ in the LNRS guidance.)

• A list of species. This allows us to bring awareness to some of the most vulnerable species in the area and identify ways to help them, and other species, recover and thrive.

• A map showing opportunities for nature recovery across the area. This is to show the areas where actions described in the strategy would have the most impact on nature recovery.

The consultation goes live Monday, 14 July at 9am and will close on Monday 8 September at 11:45pm.