Nov 2024
This month, we had the opportunity to talk with specialists across the planning, business, green space, and water management sectors. It was great to receive so much valuable and constructive feedback on our potential measures for nature recovery in Hertfordshire’s urban and water environments.
This feedback enabled us to review and improve our draft measures alongside our draft priorities, habitats, and species lists, which we have been busy editing in response to the feedback we received from environmental groups and experts last month. We expect this work to be completed very soon and have begun the process of incorporating these priorities and measures into our LNRS map.
Our first draft of the web platform for the finished LNRS has also been completed, and we are continuing to refine it to make it suitable and easy-to-use for all users, with user testing due to take place in the new year.
We look forward to discussing our progress on the LNRS with you in more depth at an engagement event in the near future. Further details on this will be provided closer to the date under the ‘Get Involved’ section of our webpage and sent out via email to those on our mailing list. If you would like to be added to our mailing list, let us know at localnaturerecovery@hertfordshire.gov.uk.
Oct 2024
Our Priorities Task and Finish group have done a great job narrowing down our draft bespoke and flagship species lists from around 1700 to 50 species. These lists were reviewed by wider environmental groups and experts at a recent engagement event where we received invaluable feedback. Our lists of priorities and measures for supporting nature recovery in Hertfordshire are also nearing completion, and we are excited to discuss measures to support nature in Hertfordshire's urban environments this month with specialists across the planning, business and green space sectors. We also have planned an upcoming webinar with those involved in river management to discuss measures to protect Hertfordshire's precious water habitats.
The finishing touches are being put on our maps displaying opportunities for nature recovery in Hertfordshire, and the Production group is hard at work designing a platform for the finished product of the LNRS. Our next step is to incorporate our finalised priorities and measures into our LNRS map, which will bring the first draft of the LNRS near completion. We look forward to sharing this work with you in December to hear your thoughts on the draft priorities and opportunity areas.
Sept 2024
Since our final engagement events, we’ve been busy reviewing and analysing the information you provided. Thank you so much to everyone who contributed so far, we’ve received much more information than anticipated. Close to 300 sites have been put forward for inclusion in the LNRS. Our team are cross-referencing this data and site information with ecological data to identify opportunities and constraints for nature recovery across the county.
We’re also putting the finishing touches on our plans for our next engagement sessions. We almost have a species shortlist ready to share and we’ll be focusing on engaging technical specialists before sharing what we've done with wider communities. Our Production team has also now been assembled and is working to create a user-friendly and engaging platform to host out LNRS.
August 2024
We've been running engagement events to hear about how and where you think nature recovery action is needed. It's been great to talk to so many of you and to see so much enthusiasm for helping nature to recover in Hertfordshire. We’ve had over 200 surveys completed so far and more are coming in every day. If you couldn’t make it to one of the in person events, you can still come along to one of the virtual events taking place on 21 Aug and 28 Aug. Or email localnaturerecovery@hertfordshire.gov.uk to make sure you get an invite.
We’ll pass along all the data we have collected from the engagement events to our Mapping and Priorities Task and Finish groups. They will start reviewing this information and integrating it with data we already hold. Over the next 2 months, we'll draft a list of the highest priority nature recovery actions for Hertfordshire and map where the greatest opportunities for nature recovery are in Hertfordshire. We’ll also get busy planning on how to work with you all to refine this list and map in the autumn.
June 2024
Hertfordshire county recorders have been busy this month condensing down the long list of species collated over previous months. All county recorders have now been engaged and this list is down to approximately 300 species.
We look forward to seeing the hard work on the species longlisting continue and can’t wait to show you our shortlist in the near future.
We have successfully secured an engagement facilitator from Meeting Place who will be running events across the county over the next few months. Be sure to look out for these, you won’t want to miss them.
We're looking forward to working with wider environmental groups as well as having in-person events planned throughout July, once the general election is over.
Land managers event
Engagement with landowners and land managers is still underway. A second event was hosted by Gascoyne Estates at the end of May, examining the work already done to map areas of importance for biodiversity by the partnership. Public and private landowners discussed surrounding habitats, funding, barriers to engagement and balancing needs of biodiversity with the demand for food.
The event was well attended and we're due to review feedback and resources gained. A follow-up event is planned towards the end of 2024.
May 2024
Mapping for the LNRS is now well underway and we are pleased to announce that land managers can now register their land though our site identification survey to be included in the LNRS. This will provide land managers with opportunities to attract multiple kinds of investment and funding through land enhancement. The partnership is excited to see where opportunities are for land enhancement that can support wildflower meadows, tree planting, river and wetland restoration and much more to create greener spaces for Hertfordshire. We are working closely with District and Borough councils to deliver local, in person events very soon, where you can hear more about what we’ve been doing and share your views on nature recovery. In the meantime, why not check out the survey in the ‘get involved’ section of this webpage and see how you can help.
April 2024
In February, the Local Nature Recovery Strategy mapping and priorities task and finish groups were formed. These groups have made significant progress in the last few months.
The priorities task and finish group has been working and engaging with county recorders to generate our priorities species list. This has also inspired thinking for our iconic species public survey going out in May.
The mapping task and finish group has completed mapping for the areas of particular importance for biodiversity. We'll be running a public site identification survey in May. The mapping group will use the survey results once available.
February 2024
We're excited to announce that the engagement, priorities and mapping task and finish groups for the Local Nature Recovery Strategy have now been formed. We'll be having our first meetings with these groups over the next few weeks.
The groups will be working with a wide range of organisations over the coming months and we look forward to seeing how all their individual expertise will help in shaping the Hertfordshire LNRS. Members from the Hertfordshire Nature Recovery Partnership Steering Group and Board have also agreed on a timeline which will be invaluable in ensuring the creation of the LNRS runs smoothly. This will be made available shortly, watch this space.
Landowners and land managers' event
On Thursday 22 February, Peter Mitchell (on behalf the Rural Land Management Advisory Group) hosted an event for landowners and land managers from across Hertfordshire to discuss how we can shape the county’s landscapes alongside the LNRS, funding for landscape recovery, using innovation and data within the agricultural business and natural capital markets.
The event also tied in how all of these can help in achieving carbon reduction and biodiversity enhancement. The event saw a large number of attendees who were well engaged throughout and expressed interest in a follow up event to take place in the next few months.
January 2024
On 31 January, Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) held its second land management forum to engage with those who own, manage, or farm land in Hertfordshire. The aims were to provide information and support on important topics like mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG) and the local nature recovery strategy (LNRS).
Speakers from organisations such as HCC, the Nature Friendly Farming Network, Natural England, and Gascoyne Estates covered subjects like Nature Friendly Farming, grants for farmers, the LNRS, and BNG for landowners. The council plans to organise more forums to continue supporting engagement with landowners and managers.
Gascoyne Estates will host a meeting on 22 February for private landowners and land managers, offering an opportunity to collaborate on shaping Hertfordshire's landscapes.
October 2023
The HNRP steering group had its first meeting on 11 October. The group discussed opportunities and challenges for the LNRS, identified potential stakeholders, and agreed to meet regularly to keep the project moving forward.
Currently, the steering group is working on an engagement plan and timeline, which will be finalised by January 2024. They are also gathering data for the LNRS mapping.
The HNRP Board will have its first meeting in November.
June 2023
Hertfordshire County Council has been appointed by Defra Secretary of State as the Responsible Authority for the Hertfordshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS). A Hertfordshire Nature Recovery Partnership (HNRP) is being formed to create the county’s first LNRS by 2025.