People are being asked for their priorities to help shape an ambitious new nature strategy for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland.
The Local Nature Recovery Strategy will help to protect nature and allow it to recover by preserving and improving habitats and biodiversity.
Leicestershire County Council has been appointed as the ‘responsible authority’ to lead on the development of the strategy, working closely with the other local authorities, key stakeholders in land management, and the Department of Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Organisations including landowners, farmers, parish councils, environmental and nature groups alongside the public are being asked to have their say to help draw up the priorities to be included in the strategy.
The strategy will identify locations to create or improve habitat and to provide the greatest benefit for nature and the wider environment.
Two separate Making Space for Nature surveys for the public and organisations have been launched to capture a wide range of views, ideas and suggestions on how nature can be improved and helped to recover across the area.
The other partners helping to oversee the development of the strategy are Leicester City Council, Rutland County Council, the seven district councils, Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, Natural England, and The National Forest Company.
This strategy will help both nature and people thrive across the whole of Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland.
We want as many groups and individuals as possible to contribute to the strategy, and taking part in the surveys is an important step so we can identify locations that will benefit most.
Most of the land in our area isn’t owned by the councils so we can’t do this by ourselves. We know we need to strike a balance between helping nature and wildlife recover, protecting the livelihoods of those who own and cultivate land, and the wider needs of people who live here.
All of the views and ideas will contribute to the final strategy which we will work up with our partners and consult people on before it is published in the summer of 2025.
Person:Ann Carruthers, director of environment and transport
The surveys can be found here, and more information about the Local Nature Recovery Strategy can be found here.