David Henshilwood

UK Protected Areas

Delivering national objectives in local settings

Natural England’s Designations Role

• We advise Defra and the Secretary of State on the selection of Natura 2000 sites, Ramsar sites, Marine Conservation Zones, and National Trails.

• We designate Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) and National Parks.

• We declare National Nature Reserves and directly manage some 140 with other partners.

Our existing Programmes

• Marine Conservation Zone - 127 recommended, 1 designated, and phased designation of a proportion of these sites over three years from 2013

• Marine SAC - Nearing sufficiency• Inshore Marine SPA - Challenging programme of identification requiring completion

by end 2015• Terrestrial SAC - Substantially complete; future selection requirements likely to be

small• Terrestrial SPA - Outstanding actions from 2001 review, current review reports 2012.

Likely to lead to substantial work programme • Ramsar - No new work planned• SSSI - Work underway to review the series likely to result in significant programme• National Park/AONB - Lakes Dales National Park extension boundary review. 2

AONBs where further investigation planned• National Trail - No new work planned• National Nature Reserve - On-going programme to ensure series is both

representative and meets criteria

The network of protection

DWhat we have now. What’s going wrong?

2011

Making Space

for Nature

– Lawton Report 2010

What do we need to do? - ecological solutions“MORE, BIGGER, BETTER AND JOINED”

Localism Act and National Planning Policy Framework

• Localism Act:– Duty to Co-operate and changes to local plans– Neighbourhood Plans

– National Planning Policy Framework:• Policies to protect and enhance natural environment• Local Green Space Designation• Ecological Networks• Strategic approach to Green Infrastructure

• Major infrastructure planning

Think Global – Act Local – NEWP 2011

Reconnecting nature

New Nature Improvement Areas (NIAs), transforming rural and urban areas and providing bigger, connected sites for wildlife to live in and adapt to climate change. With a £7.5 million fund for 12 initial NIAs to demonstrate just what can be done.

Biodiversity offsetting – new way for developers to ensure we don’t lose wildlife sites and make them better by making and improving other sites.

Phasing out peat – working with the horticulture industry to phase out peat use, which will help to protect and restore our peatlands, which are valuable carbon sinks, habitats and part of our ecological network.

New Local Nature Partnerships to strengthen joined-up action across local agencies and organisations

Designations Strategy - What’s different?

• We consider how, collectively, the whole suite of designations can be used to deliver ecological networks and the full range of ecosystem services.

• Wherever possible, we will focus our efforts on areas where we can work in partnership with others to:

– designate new sites– manage existing sites– better manage the wider landscape and our seas.

National Character Areas

• Habitats & Birds Directives; • Marine Strategy Framework

Directive (MSFD) - well managed UK MPA network in place by 2016;

• MSFD - ecologically coherent and well managed UK MPA network contributing to Good Environmental Status by 2020;

• Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 – requires MPA network to conserve or improve the UK marine environment; and protect representative features.

Legal obligations for MPAs

Natural England’s Role in Designations

Name of designation Current Number Type Natural England’s Role in Designation

Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)

241 European Site identificationAdvice to Defra

Special Protection Areas (SPAs)

81 European Site identificationAdvice to Defra

Ramsar 70 International Site identificationAdvice to Defra

Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ)

1 Domestic Advice to Defra

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)

4118 Domestic Site selectionNotification

National Nature Reserves (NNRs)

225 Domestic Site selectionDeclaration

National Trails 13 Domestic ProposeAdvice to Defra

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)

34 Domestic Designation

National Parks 9 Domestic Designation

Introducing Ecosystem Approach : Making nature’s benefits visible to decision makers

Provisioning services

Fresh water

Food (eg crops, fruit, fish, etc)

Fibre and fuel (eg timber, wool, etc)

Genetic resources (used for crop/stock breeding and biotechnology)

Biochemicals, natural medicines, pharmaceuticals

Ornamental resources (eg shells, flowers, etc)

Regulatory services

Air quality regulation

Climate regulation (local temp. /precipitation, GHG sequestration, etc)

Water regulation (timing/scale of run-off, flooding, etc)

Natural hazard regulation (ie storm protection)

Pest regulation

Disease regulation

Erosion regulation

Water purification and waste treatment

Pollination

Cultural services

Cultural heritage

Recreation and tourism

Aesthetic value

Spiritual and religious value

Inspiration of art, folklore, architecture, etc

Social relations (eg fishing, grazing, cropping communities)

Supporting services

Soil formation

Primary production

Nutrient cycling (water recirculation in landscape)

Water recycling

Photosynthesis (production of atmospheric oxygen)

Provision of habitat

Thanks to Mark Everad from EA for this slide

What you don’t consider you may lose!

Environmental Stewardship – locally responsive

Existing and proposed MPAs in English waters and the offshore area adjacent to England

A Strategic Approach

• The Lawton Report suggests that priority for action at a landscape scale should be as follows:

– 1st Manage existing sites better– 2nd Make existing sites larger– 3rd Create new sites– 4th Enhance connectivity– 5th Create new corridors

A popular competition - 76 applications for NIA status

20 were selected to progress to stage 2

Final 12 were selected by the independent judging panel, and ratified by Secretary of State,

The 12 will receive a share of £7.5 Million from NE (& Defra funding) over 3 years and will draw on other resources

Nature Improvement Areas