Towards A Wilder Britain Creating a Nature Recovery Network to bring back wildlife to every neighbourhood

A report for the Westminster Government by Nature Recovery Network

We all The common lizard used to live up to its name. It could need nature do again It’s time to give it the space it needs to be part of all our lives Contents t a time when Britain stands 4 Britain in 2040 on the brink of its biggest It could be healthier, happier and greener – if we take A ever shake-up of the right decisions now environmental rules, The Wildlife Trusts are calling for a wilder, better 6 Britain in 2018 Britain. A lack of joined-up thinking has produced a raft of Most people agree that wildlife social and environmental problems and wild places are valuable for their own sake. We now know from 8 The solution: a Nature Recovery Network research across the globe that a Local networks of places that are good for wildlife, joined healthy, wildlife-rich natural world is together into a national Nature Recovery Network essential for our wellbeing and prosperity. 12 How the network can become reality But wildlife has been getting less A combination of strong new laws, nature maps and a and less common, on land and at change in our national culture to value nature once more sea, for decades. Wild places are The Wildlife Trusts more scarce, smaller and more 14 Pioneer project: the Aire Valley, Tel: 01636 670000 isolated. There is less nature and How a Nature Recovery Network would strengthen the local economy Email: [email protected] Website: wildlifetrusts.org greenery in the places where we @WildlifeTrusts live and work. And not everyone has 16 Pioneer project: the Irish Sea Registered Charity No 207238 equal access to nature or the The principles of a Network applied in the marine environment Contact Us benefits it brings. Dr Sue Young, Nature needs to recover – for the 17 Pioneer project: ’s road verges Head of Land Use Planning and Ecological Networks sake of wild plants and animals, and Six years of surveys show how verges can contribute to the Network [email protected] for everything it brings us: better Cover picture: red kite over a green- health, climate control, flood 18 Pioneer project: Kidbrooke, roofed London, by Dan Hilliard. Pics: management, enjoyment, A nature-rich development that will build almost 5,000 houses iStock (city), David Chapman (kite), Paul Hobson (heron), Mike Read employment and more. (wigeon flocks). To make this happen, we need to 19 Support our vision This page: Common lizard by Ross change the way we look after our Help us build momentum for an Environment Act Hoddinott land and seas. We need a Nature Recovery Network to put space for nature at the heart of our farming We all want a and planning systems; to bring greener, healthier nature into the places where most 4 future... don’t we? 14 people live their daily lives. We need new laws, including an How it should be: a heron Environment Act passed by the and a human in Regent’s Westminster government, to ensure Park, London this happens. In it, local Nature Recovery Maps would be produced A Nature Recovery Network to achieve key Government targets for increasing the extent and quality is a joined-up network of habitats that allow wildlife and people to thrive: ■ in housing estates ■ on farms of natural habitats, turning nature’s Every child recovery from an aspiration to a ■ ■ ■ Volunteers in nature reserves on road verges along riverbanks deserves a wild making ecological reality. Local Authorities would have ■ in parks and gardens ■ on office roofs■ in the hills childhood 8 maps of verges LONDON MARK SCHOFIELD NIK POLLARD TERRY WHITTAKER/2020VISION TERRY a requirement to do this.

2 THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS 3 The UK’s Nature Recovery A recovering landscape Network 1 Nature is normal 4 Buzzing creatures which used Britain in 2040 Children grow up with countryside to be common around trees to climb, ponds Farmland is the coasts are to investigate and crisscrossed by increasing. Green, healthy, happy fields to explore. They colourful habitat for its don’t know it, but their most important wild 7 Fertile soils childhood is better residents: pollinators. The most productive A world where seeing a hedgehog is an everyday experience than their parents’. land is renewing itself. 5 Sustainable Nutrients are staying f you could travel forward in walls. Housing estates now come or ponds, or thick . There are 2 Green fisheries put in soils that are time, and visit your home with green arteries, many of them more hedgehogs, swallows and developments After two decades of accumulating rather I town two decades from incorporating old hedgerows and housemartins, and a lot more insects. For 20 years all new protection the UK’s than eroding and today, the last thing you’d expect is trees. Farm fields have colourful Finally, you realise what it is. The housing and other seas have regained blowing away. that people would feel sorry for you. wildflower strips running alongside, people. They simply look healthier development has much of their former It might be hard to work out why and happier, more willing to talk. resulted in a net gain bounty. All fishing is 8 Restored uplands at first. Of course, there are little There’s less stress and anxiety than for wildlife. sustainable and jobs Instead of just close- 8 differences, but each one doesn’t Housing estates there used to be. Children especially are secure. grazed , the seem that strange on its own. The air seem to understand that the natural 3 Wilder cities trees and peat bogs is cleaner, and the hubbub of vehicle now come with world is the foundation of our Green roofs, green 6 Returning whales are back, reducing noise has almost vanished from the green arteries: wellbeing and prosperity; that we walls, pocket parks Sightings of whales flooding and locking streets. Nearly all buildings seem to depend on it, and it depends on us. and trees are common. and other large sea up CO2 from the air.

NIK POLLARD have green roofs, or even green hedges, trees Which is, after all, how it is.

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4 THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS 5 The UK’s Nature Recovery Britain in 2018 Network Depleted, fragmented, fragile We have torn great holes in the web of life that supports us

he UK today is a human- problem in Europe. Air quality limits Sir John Lawton, who led a dominated landscape. Most are regularly breached. Floods are Government review of ’s T original habitats have gone, becoming more common and more wildlife sites, said: “There is and natural ecosystems are destructive. Damage to farmland compelling evidence that they are fragmented. Woods, meadows, soils costs us around £1bn a year. generally too small and too isolated. ponds and other places with lots of For most of us, our material We need more space for nature.” wild plants and animals are getting standard of living is still improving. Conservation work by charities, smaller, fewer, more polluted, and But our lifestyles are unsustainable farmers, community groups and more cut-off from each other. Most and overlook the value of natural individuals shows that wildlife can be Flooding in , of our plants and animals are systems – even though they brought back when the will and the 2015: Research shows declining. One in ten face extinction. underpin everything we do. We space is there. Previous generations that having more Given the pressure on land for need healthy soil to grow food in, lived with clouds of , vegetation and trees food, roads and housing, this is not clean air to breathe, clean water to snowstorms of moths, and hedges in the hills can help to surprising. However, our separation drink, and green space for exercise shaking with dense flocks of keep floodwater out of

from nature has led to other and relaxation. No one disputes this farmland birds. These are biological IMAGES ANNA GOWTHORPE/PA homes and businesses unintended effects. – yet our farming and planning riches denied to younger people. We have an epidemic of chronic systems have often taken us in the We need to decide what kind of disease, and the worst obesity opposite direction. future we want – wilder, or not? Map of UK Biodiversity Intactness Askham Bog: a familiar tale Tim Newbold; Lawrence N People vs nature: the disconnect Hudson; Andrew P Arnell; Nothing left Sara Contu et al. (2016). to lose? Dataset: Global map of the Biodiversity Intactness Index, This map shows from Newbold et al. (2016) Science. Natural History estimates of Museum Data Portal (data. ‘biodiversity nhm.ac.uk). https://doi. intactness’ across org/10.5519/0009936 Proposed housing the UK. The UK index of 81% is 29th lowest out of 218 Golf course countries assessed. Askham Bog Researchers suggest such biodiversity Ex-landfill Roads Pollution Housing loss might 250,000 miles of tarmac Plastics, pesticides and Every year 36 square miles exceed ‘planetary divide our landscape. To atmospheric pollution are of new developments put boundaries’. A64 trunk road many species they causing problems for pressure on local GOOGLE MAPS are a barrier wildlife ecosystems STEPHEN POWLES STEPHEN TERRY WHITTAKER TERRY MATTHEW ROBERTS MATTHEW Key Golf course Percentage of originally-present An ancient bog on the outskirts of species York, Askham was one of The Wildlife Trusts’ first nature reserves. It is a less than 50% unique place, thousands of years old, and teeming with specialised less than 60% wildlife. But it faces problems that are common to nature reserves all over less than 70% the country. It is already bordered by a golf course, a landfill site, a major less than 80% Hedges Green deserts Us road and railway. Now it is at risk of less than 90% being sealed off completely from the Hedges conserve soil and Wilder areas of amenity Nature is vital for our health, landscape around it. wildlife – but in arable could increase but for most our daily less than 95% has fought areas many are not in benefits for wildlife surroundings are off two applications to build on its

good shape* and people SHUTTERSTOCK artifical more than 95% last remaining boundary. * 2007 COUNTRYSIDE SURVEY UK RESULTS SURVEY COUNTRYSIDE * 2007 CORMACK ADAM

6 THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS 7 The UK’s Nature Recovery The Network in four stages Network The solution Part of a map of Somerset’s Ecological Network, around the city of Wells A Nature Recovery Network Stage 1 Stage 2 ■ Protect the wildest places ■ Make connections between them These are nature reserves, Sites of Special Scientific Smaller patches of habitat can act as ‘stepping Wildlife and natural systems joined up, and working, everywhere Interest and Local Wildlife Sites – our core sources stones’ and ‘corridors’ between bigger areas. This of wildlife. At sea they include Marine Protected means creating and looking after features like Nature Recovery Network is response to climate change. It as a joined-up whole. The Network Areas. These places need to be protected from hedges, ponds, streams, small woods and meadows a joined-up system of places connects wild places and it brings would include nature reserves and harm, improved through good management and to provide habitat and make it easier for wildlife to A important for wild plants wildlife into our lives. Local Wildlife Sites, and parts of where possible increased in size. move through the landscape. and animals, on land and at sea. It can only do this effectively if, National Parks. It would also contain It allows plants, animals, seeds, like our road network, it is treated peat bogs, heaths, meadows and nutrients and water to move from cliffs; road verges, parks, gardens, place to place and enables the We must invest hedges and woods; and rivers, natural world to adapt to change. It streams, ponds and lakes. At sea, it provides plants and animals with time, effort, and would include reefs and sandbanks, places to live, feed and breed. It rocky shores and seagrass beds – creates the corridors and areas of money into bringing many of them designated as Marine habitat they need to move in wildlife back Protected Areas; Britain’s `Blue Belt’.

The outcome: more opportunities for people to experience nature

Crown copyright and database rights Ordnance Survey 2015 100038382

Stage 3 Stage 4 ■ Provide a bigger overall area for wildlife ■ Find space for wildlife in the wider landscape By looking after our wildest places and creating This Network should sit within a wider landscape habitat between them, the overall area of wildlife- characterised by nature-friendly development and friendly land increases. This area needs to be farming. This would include encouraging a wide safeguarded. Here land management or range of people to increase the amount of wildlife development should be required to strengthen the habitat in places like farms, parks, retail parks, network of habitats and not weaken it. This makes churchyards, road verges, gardens and golf courses. wildlife populations less likely to decline. It would need high standards of basic regulation. LONDON WILDLIFE TRUST LONDON

8 THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS 9 The UK’s Nature Toads have suffered a 68% Recovery decline in the past 30 years. From this To this They need connected areas Network of habitat to move around and thrive Our roads

LUKE MASSEY HIGHWAYS AGENCY HIGHWAYS GOV.UK

Major roads are impassable barriers for Green bridges allow wildlife to shift as many species the climate changes Our homes

Viper’s bugloss on a green roof at Eversheds, near St Paul’s Cathedral DARREN TANSLEY DARREN AVON

Many streets are now sealed under Plants and trees improve the street tarmac and concrete atmosphere and help reduce flooding What is the UK’s Our cities network potential? ■ 250,000 miles of road verges More could be managed for wildlife by mowing later in the year, and removing the cuttings. Green bridges should be a part of transport infrastructure projects.

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SHUTTERSTOCK AFL ARCHITECTS c.430,000 hectares of gardens Wildflowers in gardens have huge The sheer mass of concrete in cities Green roofs and spaces absorb heavy potential to help pollinators such heats them up in the summer rain and cool things down as bees. A network of small Our vision for a Network patches could help bees thrive in Our public spaces urban areas.

Making space for nature to meet the needs of wildlife and people ■ 52 million people 80% of the UK’s population live in ature conservation in the We need to create a Nature urban areas. New parks, street last century succeeded in Recovery Network that extends into trees, green roofs and walls are an N protecting some vital every part of our towns, cities and important way to help everyone wildlife sites. But wildlife has still countryside, bringing wildlife and experience nature in daily life. HELEN HOYLE declined as a result of damage to the benefits of a healthy natural HELEN HOYLE the wider environment. world into every part of life. Letting ■ Two-thirds of amenity grassland is ...but research demonstrates benefits Our public spaces Protected wildlife sites alone flowers bloom along road verges, close-mown... of meadows to people and wildlife Two thirds of amenity land is short cannot meet the needs of wildlife or installing green roofs across city mown grass, but meadow habitats our society. To achieve that, we also skylines, planting more street trees Our farmland support eight times more wildlife. need to provide effective protection to give people shady walks in the Greener and more biodiverse for the many other places in the summer, encouraging whole neighbourhoods provide health landscape that are still rich in communities to garden for wild and wellbeing benefits for people. wildlife despite the many pressures plants and animals. they face. A network that brings wildlife into ■ Our farmland And we must invest time, effort, “Every space in every neighbourhood would also 70% of UK land is farmland, so commitment and money into provide fairer access to nature for creating and managing habitats for bringing wildlife back across a far Britain must be used people. Studies have shown the wildlife on farms is vital. Hedges, wider area – stitching back together to help wildlife.” benefits of living close to nature, TANSLEY DARREN TANSLEY DARREN ponds, ditches, field margins and Britain’s tattered natural fabric of but many people are deprived of Grazing too close to riverbanks erodes With a fence the stream bank becomes trees all help to provide a network

PAUL HOBSON PAUL wild land. Sir these benefits. soils and destroys water vole habitats stable again and plants return of habitats for farmland wildlife.

10 THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS 11 The UK’s Nature Recovery Network 1 How to make the network The most important requirement is an Environment Act 2 The critical tool: o bring about nature’s recovery, we need a new A new Environment Act will need: T Environment Act, passed Nature Recovery Maps by a Westminster Parliament. This Ambitious goals Clear standards LONDON WILDLIFE TRUST would commit successive future These would include: more These would set out how Building a Nature Recovery Network The maps would be used to governments to increasing the abundant and diverse wildlife; governments and other requires detailed information: where ensure that: diversity and abundance of our beautiful landscapes; fair access organisations will be held to wildlife is abundant or scarce; where ■ Key wildlife sites are strongly wildlife and making it a bigger part for everyone to wild places and account. They would establish it should be in future; which places protected as the base of nature’s of everyone’s daily lives; and to green spaces; clean water for how the activities of key players are most important; and where there recovery (critically, Sites of Special improving the health of our air, wildlife and people; healthy and are measured and reported, is opportunity for positive change. Scientific Interest and Local Wildlife soils, rivers and seas. productive soils; and resilient showing their contribution to The critical tool is a Local Nature Sites) and other sites are protected In a built-up area even the smallest This Act would build on the ecosystems. nature’s recovery. Recovery Map. Government must for future restoration; wildlife feature is an asset foundations of existing wildlife require Local Authorities to publish ■ New housing, industrial or laws. It would be about nature’s Strong principles Independent institutions these maps, which would identify commercial development The people to recovery and rebuilding society’s These would ensure the needs of We need institutions to areas where the greatest benefit for and infrastructure only gets 3 make it happen connection to the natural world. the natural world are central to all monitor, review and report wildlife and people can be achieved. permission in the right places and It will need to ensure that government decision-making. progress; to oversee They would focus and co-ordinate has a net positive impact on the Farmers, foresters and other regulation, investment, public Polluters would pay for their compliance with the law; and to effective action, funding and regulation. Network; land managers can provide spending and practical action polluting activities. Where harm ensure that everyone can ■ There is effective regulation more space for nature if the work effectively together. To might be caused by particular challenge public decisions The maps should be: of potentially damaging land government focuses public achieve this, it must place a duty actions, caution would prevail. effectively when necessary. ■ Developed locally management activities such as payments in the right places, on Local Authorities to produce with the full involvement of civil hedgerow removal or ploughing and ensures good regulation Local Nature Recovery Maps, society and other stakeholders; permanent pasture; and sensible standards. setting out where and how ■ Evidence-based using the best ■ Public and private funds are nature’s recovery will be achieved. available data and technology; channelled the right way. Developers and investors can And it must require government ■ Long-term but reviewed regularly; Contributions from developers, make the best decisions for their departments and agencies to use Building nature into ‘our’ space is ■ Part of a national network future farm payments and other business and wildlife if they these maps to guide and co- simple and beneficial. Now it needs aligned with neighbouring Nature funds are targeted for maximum know where development is ordinate their efforts. to be legally mandated Recovery Maps to create a national wildlife benefit. best located and how best to Nature Recovery Network; ■ Public authorities are required build and invest for wildlife. ■ Endorsed by Government by law to contribute to the statutory documents approved implementation of the Public bodies (not least local

SIMON RAWLES by the Secretary of State. Network. government) are important convenors. They can help to ensure that decisions affecting nature are better integrated Thousands of farmers across government to maximise work hard to help benefits to people and wildlife. wildlife on their farms, the right incentives Regulators will regulate most can help make an effectively if they have a shared even bigger impact plan so they can see how their different areas of responsibility interact in practice, and how they can contribute most effectively to nature’s recovery on the ground.

All of us can help by taking action for, and providing space for, wildlife where we live and work. On their own our actions can feel isolated or small, but linked together every garden, window box, field margin, street tree and riverbank makes a difference. BERKELEY HOMES

12 THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS 13 The UK’s Nature Pioneer project Recovery Network River Aire, Yorkshire Long-term study reveals another way to spend farm subsidies Better information, better decisions

To show how current farm (including Natural England and payments could be applied the Environment Agency) to differently to achieve create a series of ecological maps environmental outcomes, of the Aire Catchment. These Yorkshire Wildlife Trust used data showed where habitats are and from a range of sources could be, current payments to YORKSHIRE WILDLIFE TRUST farmers and land managers, water Tree planting on high ground to quality, flood risk and access. help reduce run-off and flood risk To apply the modelling in real life, three farms were chosen using data from Natural England. Their boundaries were simplified to anonymise the sites. Leeds The study showed that under a new system, based on public goods for public money, a huge Bradford range of environmental and social benefits could be provided at no extra cost.

Hills in the river’s upper catchment. A RAMSAY The study looked at alternative The insect-eating round-leaved Improved access Reduced STEVE GREER STEVE models for farming and land use sundew is adapted to upland bogs 1 to the countryside 2 flood risk Up to 36,000ha of countryside £14m would be invested in Natural hat would happen if farmers from pollution – mainly urban and (pale orange) could be opened up Flood Management over 10 years. were paid to provide a wide agricultural run-off, particularly in The Network would... to responsible access, including £1.2m investment would also be W range of public goods, rather failing parts of the river identified by some farmland around towns. made to improve water quality The current areas of open (polluted watercourses than being paid for how much land SHUTTERSTOCK the Environment Agency. But if land ■ Double the area of good they own? managers take land out of quality habitat, for example access land (orange) are shown in red). Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s study of production to help with this (eg by planting 4,200ha of new mostly in the remoter the River Aire catchment has an fencing off a riverbank to create a broadleaved woodland uplands. answer. For a similar cost to today’s vegetated streamside buffer), their ■ Create 4,400 hectares of subsidy system, public benefits farm payments are reduced. upland heath or 600 hectares of would massively increase: more The study brought these problems new grazing marsh wildlife habitat, improved flood together using ecological mapping, ■ Invest £14m in natural flood prevention, a healthier population, and used the resulting data to model management over 10 years Reduced carbon Increased climate change mitigation, new subsidising farmers for the greatest (currently DEFRA invests £15m 3 4 woodlands and sustainable food public good. It concluded that for across all of England) emissions natural habitats production. Research using three Land management upstream affects the same amount of money paid to ■ Significantly reduce the impact Changes in land management The area of good quality upland farms in Yorkshire as case the Aire’s flood risk in central Leeds land managers and farmers at of flooding in Leeds, Castleford would turn soil from a carbon habitat would be doubled, for studies shows current farm incomes present – £163m over 10 years – a and other areas source to a carbon sink, helping example by planting 4,200ha of would be maintained or increased. running through the heart of Leeds wide range of social and ■ Enable the land to absorb the UK meet its commitments new deciduous woodland (dark A long, thin river catchment, the and out to the Humber estuary. environmental benefits could be carbon from the air instead of under the Paris Agreement. green) and 4,400ha of Aire starts in the Yorkshire Dales, Although it has some very high delivered. adding to it, helping the UK meet Potential new carbon sinks in upland heath (pale green) purple, existing in pink. quality habitats, much of the To get the greatest public benefit its climate change commitments These huge catchment is now too wildlife-poor from future farm payments, farmers under the Paris Agreement and fragmented to prevent local and land managers will need to ■ Increase opportunities to enjoy benefits would cost species extinctions. promote nature’s recovery. They the countryside responsibly by Changes of land use in the Aire must fund the right actions in the creating 36,000 hectares of about the same as catchment have made flooding right places, guided by local Nature access land today’s system more likely. The Aire also suffers Recovery Maps.

14 THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS 15 Volunteers survey for spring wildflowers The UK’s Nature Wide-ranging megafauna Recovery such as the Irish Sea’s basking shark would be protected by a Network Pioneer project Regional Sea Plan Irish Sea Seas need networks too. We call them Regional Sea Plans

his document sets out our ambition for a Nature T Recovery Network on land. But that idea continues into the sea. The UK’s seas are threatened by pollution, unsustainable exploitation and infrastructure development, destructive fishing practices and, increasingly, the effects of global climate change. The Wildlife Trusts work across land and sea. Our 2017 report The Way Back to Living Seas sets out our proposals for a new UK Marine Strategy. Its main tool is Regional Sea Plans (RSPs). Irish Sea A simplified version of the Irish Pioneer project Sea RSP (right) shows how it would work. With all sea users involved in LINCS WILDLIFE TRUST its development, the plan would guide how we develop marine industry, how we fish within environmental limits and how we Lincolnshire’s verges The plan would Six years of research reveal a trove of linked habitats guide how we magine if an area of the UK improved protection through the develop, fish and the size of a county could be planning system. Many of their I restored for wildlife. Imagine plants are only found elsewhere on regain wildlife if that area could be built as an nature reserves. Bees, butterflies, interconnecting network of birds and bats use these verges too. regain a sea full of wildlife. ecological corridors. By working with local people with The Wildlife Trusts believe the UK In fact, such a network already local knowledge, Lincolnshire Government should safeguard our exists – in potential form. The total Wildlife Trust has formed a national resources. We propose a length of public roads in England, conservation strategy to bring back national Marine Strategy to provide The Irish Sea shows why Regional Scotland and is roughly the county’s vanishing wildflowers. an overarching plan, which is then Sea Plans are needed. It’s a 250,000 miles. The verges that flank LAURA DOWNTON, BCN WILDLIFE TRUST Trials are now underway with the made concrete in Regional Sea complex ecosystem with many these roads make up around 800 County Council to fund road verge Plans and a nationwide network of competing interests. It also hosts square miles. management for biodiversity. Marine Protected Areas. With these species such as Manx shearwater A six-year study by Lincolnshire Understanding and then managing in place, national plans would give travelling thousands of miles to Wildlife Trust has shown the nature verges is a huge opportunity for us the opportunity to manage our feed in its productive waters. recovery potential of road verges. Clustered bellflower – one of nature’s recovery that’s been hidden seas in a joined-up way. Key Between 2009 and 2015 the Trust several scarce species discovered in plain sight. Land management The Irish Sea plan we show here as trained and co-ordinated volunteers across the country is paid for with an example would need co- to search 4,800 miles of the county’s The first step towards good public funds. The management of operation with Ireland, but with the verges for wildflowers. This resulted conservation action is good data. road verges, parks and similar right guidance and ambition we can in better protection for 150 miles of The new information led to 159 new places, could deliver greater public Commercial Marine Recreational create thriving seas and a strong Offshore Aggregate verges, amounting to 200 hectares Local Wildlife Sites being benefit as part of a statutory local fishing mammals diving wind extraction

ANDREW PEARSON Blue Economy for all. of wildflower-rich grassland. designated, which gives them Nature Recovery Plan.

16 THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS 17 The UK’s Nature Recovery Pioneer project Network Kidbrooke, London A development making space for nature among 4,800 new homes Support our vision

idbrooke Village is a a reed-fringed wetland nestled visionary new housing between high-rise buildings. These K development in London. green spaces will provide habitat for It will provide more than 4,800 birds, bees and other wildlife as well Share these facts new homes and 35 hectares of as helping with local flood mitigation varied, semi-natural open space for and water management, and the people who will live in them. LONDON WILDLIFE TRUST providing places for the local ...and help build the momentum for an Environment Act It’s the result of a partnership community to spend time outside. between London Wildlife Trust and These new habitats will also connect Use our verges Make towns bee-friendly Rewild our public parks Berkeley Homes. The centre of the to a wider network of green site is Kidbrooke Park, which will be infrastructure beyond the site. Much amenity land is designed to be a green corridor for If our towns and cities are to be miles closely-mown grass but people and wildlife – a natural area great places for wildlife and people, 250,000 studies have shown that weaving between the new houses. we will need the right development, There are 250,000 people prefer areas of 27,000 There will be play areas bordered in the right place, done in the right miles of road verges in long grass and flowers There are 27,000 by species-rich grassland, heather Kidbrooke uses learning from way. Investors and developers will the UK. Bringing more too. More urban meadows will help parks in the UK. What and copses of trees, a chalk stream , another need local Nature Recovery Maps to verges into wildlife- pollinators and people. if more parkland was meandering beside open lawns, and London Wildlife Trust project guide their decisions. friendly management #naturenetwork devoted to nature would help flowers and wildlife to alongside other uses thrive and move around. Build homes that don’t eat nature for people? #naturenetwork How a part of Kidbrooke will #naturenetwork look – and be used

More green bridges Make farms wildlife-friendly

BERKELEY HOMES sq miles There are fewer than 36 By creating and ten green bridges in Each year new housing managing hedges, the UK compared to is built on an area of ditches, ponds and 125+ in France, 50+ in land the size of Brighton field margins farmers Holland, 30+ in and Hove. Habitats and provide a network of Germany. But our landscape is natural features need to spaces for wildlife very fragmented. Let’s have more. be part of all new housing alongside crop production. #naturenetwork developments. #naturenetwork #naturenetwork

References Page 2: Status of UK wildlife and habitats – UK National Drivers of Biodiversity Change in the UK. PLoS ONE 11(3): Page 11: Benefits of urban meadows for people and wildlife - Ecosystem Assessment: Understanding Nature’s Value to e0151595. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0151595 Biodiverse perennial meadows have aesthetic value and increase Society UNEP-WCMC (2011). State of Nature, The State of residents’ perceptions of site quality in urban green-space Nature partnership (2016). Making Space for Nature: a review of Page 7: Planetary boundaries - Newbold et al. (2016) “Has land Georgina E. Southon, Anna Jorgensen, Nigel Dunnett, Helen England’s wildlife sites and ecological network, Report to Defra use pushed terrestrial biodiversity beyond the planetary Hoyle, Karl L. Evans (2017). Improving urban grassland for people - Lawton, J.H., et al (2010). Inequality of access to nature boundary? A global assessment”, Science 353:288-29, doi and wildlife - Living With Environmental Change Policy and Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment (MENE), 10.1126/science.aaf2201 Trees can help reduce flooding – Practice Notes Note No.32 (2016). Area of road verge – Natural England. Natural solutions for tackling health inequalities Pontbren catchment land use change study - North Powys, Linescapes, Hugh Warwick. Area of gardens – Wildlife Gardening - Jessica Allen and Reuben Balfour UCL Institute of Health Environment Agency. The UK’s Biodiversity Intactness Index Forum. Amenity grassland pics from “Not in their front yard” The Equity (2014). - Tim Newbold; Lawrence N Hudson; Andrew P Arnell; Sara opportunities and challenges of introducing perennial urban Contu et al. (2016). Dataset: Global map of the Biodiversity meadows: A local authority stakeholder perspective – Helen Page 6: Air quality regularly breached – Improving air quality Intactness Index, from Newbold et al. (2016) Science. Natural Hoyle, Anna Jorgensen, Philip Warren, Nigel Dunnett, Karl Evans, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Environmental Audit, History Museum Data Portal https://doi.org/10.5519/0009936. (2016). Health and Social Care, and Transport Committees (2018). Frequency and severity of flooding: The future of UK flood Page 8: Somerset’s Ecological Network - Mapping the Pages 14-15: River Aire catchment study - Applying a new policy – Institute of Actuaries (2017). Damage to farmland soils components of the ecological network in Somerset - Michele approach to English Agricultural Policy – Rob Stoneman, Phil - Securing UK Soil Health by Jonathan Wentworth POSTnote Bowe, Eleanor Higginson, Jake Chant and Michelle Osbourn of Whelpdale, David Gregory and Louise Wilkinson, Yorkshire POST-PN-0502 (2015). Most people’s standard of life is , and Larry Burrows of Somerset County Wildlife Trust (2017). improving – Measuring National Well-being, ONS (2016). John Council, with the support of Dr Kevin Watts of Forest Research. Lawton quote: Government press release (2010) .2/3 of amenity Page 19: UK green bridges - Green Bridges: A literature review grassland is close mown grass – Forest Research. Status of Page 10: Toad population decline - Froglife. David (NECR181), Natural England (2016). Netherlands green bridges - arable hedges - 2007 Countryside Survey, CEH, Hedgelink. Attenborough quote – Conference for Nature, 2014. Benefits of https://www.wur.nl/en/Dossiers/file/Wildlife-bridges.htm. Farming as a cause of biodiversity loss - Burns F, Eaton MA, living close to nature - Natural England. Natural solutions for Germany green bridges - https://www.thelocal. Barlow KE, Beckmann BC, Brereton T, Brooks DR, et al. (2016) tackling health inequalities - Jessica Allen and Reuben Balfour de/20130918/51975. France green bridges - http://www. Agricultural Management and Climatic Change Are the Major UCL Institute of Health Equity (2014). deercrash.org/Toolbox/CMToolboxCrossings.pdf

18 THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS 19 Be part of the Nature Recovery Network A Nature Recovery Network will protect, join up and enhance the fragments of nature that remain – for people and wildlife

Playing Field field margin Peat upland

River buffer Hedge strip River Local School bank Wildlife Canal Site ground Country Nature Green park Old reserve roofs quarry Field Wildlife-rich margin housing Wood estate Window box Wildlife Green gardens development Allotments Local Wildlife Community Pond Site Wild garden Nature industrial reserve City park estate Village green

Old railway Protected siding road verge Marine Protected Estuary Area

© The Wildlife Trusts 2018