A new era for restoring the natural environment
The White Paper on the Natural Environment provides a real
opportunity to lay the foundations of nature conservation for the
21st century, according to The Wildlife Trusts.
The conservation organisation makes this
statement ahead of a public consultation - expected to be announced
today - and sets out its recovery plans for the UK's wildlife and
fragmented habitats on land and at sea.
The Wildlife Trusts believe the time is now
for the Government to establish a vision for the restoration of the
natural environment which will help society achieve its ambitions
for nature.
With scant existing legislation to
encourage the restoration of the natural environment or the
creation of new habitats on a significant scale, The Wildlife
Trusts are looking for the Government to deliver real
improvements.
Stephanie Hilborne OBE, chief
executive of The Wildlife Trusts, said:
"This White Paper is potentially as
meaningful as the build-up to the 1949 National Parks and Access to
the Countryside Act. Back then we were reconstructing a
nation and, although money was very short, nature was seen as a key
part of our future."
In the 1940s, The Wildlife Trusts' founders
successfully pressed for laws to protect some of the most special
habitats on land but these were emergency measures. They were
refuges from which it was always hoped nature would
re-emerge. Outside the nature reserves on land habitats were
lost on an unprecedented scale. Since then more than 95% of
wildflower meadows have disappeared and 90% of heathland too.
Every Trust is working within its local
communities to inspire people about the future of their area: their
own Living Landscapes and Living Seas. Ahead of the recent
election, The Wildlife Trusts lobbied for the new Government to
introduce a White Paper on nature and ecological restoration so it
reflected the needs now facing society by taking responsibility for
this critical issue.
To ensure The Wildlife Trusts' visions for
A Living Landscape and Living Seas can be achieved in our lifetime,
the conservation organisation sets out what it believes needs to be
the fundamental framework for the White Paper for Nature (see
Annexes 1 & 2).
Speaking about the potential for positive
change, Stephanie Hilborne, added, said: "The Wildlife
Trusts believe the time is now for the Government to help society
achieve its ambitions for nature by taking a look at the
legislation, policies and funding mechanisms needed to restore
wildlife on a landscape-scale and in our seas.
"Nature is not a luxury. With the UK
facing unprecedented economic uncertainty and pressures for energy
generation, food production and housing, there is a risk we
overlook the very basis of our economy and our society; the natural
environment upon which this all depends."
Stephen Trotter, Chief Executive of
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust said:
"I welcome the preparation of a White
Paper for the Natural Environment. This could make a massive
difference; both for local wildlife and for the benefit of people
and local communities in Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull.
With a new vision, we can create a living landscape in which people
and wildlife can thrive together. This White Paper could be
the catalyst for a major change in how we look after the
environment, wildlife and wild places at a critical moment in our
history. Future generations will not thank us if we fail -
it's an opportunity not to be missed!"
For further information please
contact:
Anna Guthrie, media & PR manager, on 01636
670075/07887 754659/ aguthrie@wildlifetrusts.org
Tanya Perdikou, media & campaigns officer,
on 01636 670057/07887 754657/ tperdikou@wildlifetrusts.org
Stephen Trotter, Chief executive, Warwickshire
Wildlife Trust on 078245 42324
The Wildlife Trusts (TWT) www.wildlifetrusts.org
There are 47 Wildlife Trusts across the whole of the UK, the Isle
of Man and Alderney. We are working for an environment rich in
wildlife for everyone. With nearly 800,000 members, we are the
largest UK voluntary organisation dedicated to conserving the full
range of the UK's habitats and species, whether they be in the
countryside, in cities or at sea. 150,000 of our members belong to
our junior branch, Wildlife Watch. We manage 2,256 nature
reserves covering more than 90,000 hectares; we stand up for
wildlife; we inspire people about the natural world and we foster
sustainable living.
A Living Landscape report maps the way forward
in countering climate change and restoring the UK's battered
ecosystems, for wildlife and people; from inner cities to rural
communities.
Living Seas - The Wildlife Trusts have been
campaigning for many years for comprehensive legislation to achieve
better protection for marine wildlife and effective management of
our seas.
Stephanie Hilborne OBE was appointed as The
Wildlife Trusts' chief executive in June 2004. She has led a
radical overhaul of the way the organisation works on a collective
level and has been instrumental in uniting all 47 Wildlife Trusts
behind their vision of A Living Landscape. Stephanie
committed herself to the conservation cause as a teenager, and
secured a first class BSc in Biology at Bristol University, and an
MSc in Conservation at University College, London.
To ensure The Wildlife Trusts' visions for
*A Living Landscape and **Living Seas can be achieved in our
lifetime, the conservation organisation sets out what it believes
needs to be the fundamental framework for the White Paper for
Nature.
Annex
1
On land it should:
Set out a new vision - be
ambitious about the restoration and recovery of the natural
environment and all the systems which underpin it
Protect and enlarge 'core'
wildlife-rich areas - value and conserve existing
protected places such as Local Wildlife Sites (LWS), Sites of
Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) which lie at the heart of this
new era for nature conservation. They cannot be allowed to be
traded in or to erode
Put wildlife back on the map
- map out priority areas for ecological restoration.
To create connections between core areas in the form of corridors
and stepping stones to provide both functional and physical
connectivity for wildlife across a landscape
Give wildlife room to manoeuvre
- set out policies and incentives which allow the
protection and value of areas already rich in wildlife.
Expand and buffer these areas and make the wider landscape more
permeable
Restore natural processes
- such as flood protection, carbon absorption, crop
pollination and water filtration, so they can operate to their full
potential for people and wildlife. All are fundamental to our
health, well-being and a successful economy
Ensure there is wildlife everywhere
- inspire every community to develop local solutions to
the particular challenges for restoring nature in their area
Inspire a new type of partnership
- act together with central and local government,
agencies, the private sector and voluntary bodies to inspire and
enable cross-boundary co-operation. And support the voluntary
sector in its delivery
Annex
2
At sea it should:
Contain Marine Protected
Areas - to ensure wildlife is properly protected from the
coast to the deep blue sea beyond
Work to change for the
better - reduce the UK's fishing industry impacts and
bring it in harmony with Living Seas
Avoid damage - through
marine planning and sustainable development, make sure the marine
industry avoids damage and makes a positive contribution to Living
Seas
Improve on legislation and
policy - continue to make improvements to the laws and
policies that set out how a our seas are managed
Annex
3
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust's vision for
the county is outlined on a living landscape map available as a downloadable PDF here.
Caroline Spelman has recorded a
clip for our members inviting them to comment on the white
paper:
View it on youtube here
View the speech she gave on the
Launch of Environmental White Paper discussion paper at Kew on 26
July 2010 here.
View the consultation documents on Defra's website here