Bringing together “a diverse range of individuals, businesses and organisations ... at a local level to create a vision and plan of action of how the natural environment can be taken into account in decision making” Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)

What is a Local Nature Partnership (LNP)?

In 2011 the Government released its Natural Environment White Paper outlining its vision for the natural environment along with commitments aimed at achieving its ambitions. These ambitions include the setting up of LNPs; partnerships working to improve the range of benefits and services provided by good land management. It is envisaged that these partnerships will build on existing effective arrangements and engage with new partners. This is designed to provide a body that can deliver more effective use of resources, and secure better outcomes than individual organisations or groups working in isolation.

 The approach to delivering LNPs has now been set out by Defra, including an expectation on a very wide range of organisations to cooperate with and contribute positively to this initiative.    
 
A Local Nature Partnership for Berkshire

We are delighted to report that the Berkshire Nature Conservation Forum (BNCF) has received funding from Defra to undertake the first stages of creating a LNP for Berkshire. This is one of only a limited number of such successful applications nationally. This creates a great challenge for the Berkshire community and many other areas will be watching and learning from our progress. To make this a success, we need your help to influence the shape and functions of this Local Nature Partnership.

 Whilst establishing this new body, Berkshire Nature Conservation Forum will be working to build upon the foundation of the existing partnership to broaden its agenda; reflecting a wider range of interests and enabling a formal application for LNP status to be made during 2012.

 What will the Berkshire Local Nature Partnership do?

We want this to be a genuine partnership, with each organisation having the chance to contribute to the definition of its role and operation. It is therefore for all those involved to shape what Berkshire’s Local Nature Partnership should do to ensure that it will work effectively for its constituent organisations. Some of the suggestions from Defra on the role it sees for LNPs are: 

§     Demonstrate local leadership, raising awareness about the vital services and benefits which a healthy natural environment brings for people, communities and the local economy.

§      Create a shared vision for Berkshire to determine local environmental priorities, taking account of social and economic benefits, and support action to maintain a healthy natural environment.

§     Work at a landscape scale to improve the range of benefits and services we get from the natural environment.

§     Influence local strategies, plans and decisions that affect the local natural environment.

§     Bring together organisations with shared interests to enable them to increase work capacity and strengthen their impact.

§     Promote an ecosystems approach and an awareness of its relevance to the work of various sectors.

§      Improve the social and economic benefits received from good management of the land.
 
What could be different about a Local Nature Partnership for Berkshire?

A Berkshire LNP could support a shared vision for the natural environment in which organisations and local communities can easily identify how best to use their particular skills and resources to greatest effect. They could also influence the role of the LNP to ensure they get a positive benefit in their own roles and operational objectives.

This vision could not only develop awareness and support of the importance of the natural environment to ensure it is safeguarded for its own sake, but importantly also ensure the contributions it makes to our social and economic wellbeing are maintained and improved. 

 Who should be involved?

We want all parts of our community to be represented in a Berkshire LNP. Defra have indicated a range of likely participants and this includes: local authorities; National Parks and AONBs; environmental charities; landowners; local businesses and business enterprise organisations; health and wellbeing organisations; educational organisations; community organisations and forums; existing biodiversity partnerships. 

Why be involved?

§     If the UK’s ecosystems were properly protected and enhanced then they could add an extra £30 billion to the UK economy UK National Ecosystem Assessment (2011) Technical Report

§     Even those concerned about only business and not the fate of the planet recognise that the viability of business itself depends on the resources of healthy ecosystems Harvard Business Review (2011) The Big Idea: The Sustainable Economy 

§     Pollination supports food production in the UK to the value of £1bn per year Defra (2010), Natural Environment narrative

 §     Around 60% of rural tourism and recreation activity is dependent on landscapes and wildlife GHK (2004) Revealing the value of the natural environment in England

§     400,000 new jobs are predicted in the Low Carbon and Environmental Goods and Services sector by 2015 Defra (2010) Economic Growth and the Environment

§     Increasing physical activity by having green spaces to walk or exercise in could save the NHS around £2.1bn every year Defra (2010) Natural Environment narrative

 Next steps

We are conscious of the time scale for application for LNP status in the first part of 2012 and so are keen to establish the level of support in Berkshire for this new opportunity. We therefore propose to approach a range of key potential partners as a first priority and to make other groups aware of the proposal and how they can take part. We initially envisage the possibility of organisations being able to contribute at both a strategic level and an operational level. We will be holding a series of workshops in early 2012 to bring together those interested in contributing to a Local Nature Partnership and gain input on its structure, function and outputs.