Nation has 'forgotten what it's lost', Yorkshire Wildlife Trust warns as campaign launched to bring back nature

Thousands of acres of natural landscapes across England are to be newly protected to support the recovery of nature, the Prime Minister is to announce today.
One of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's previous projects, tackling the preservation of wetlands and peatlands on moorland above Skipton. Image:	James HardistyOne of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's previous projects, tackling the preservation of wetlands and peatlands on moorland above Skipton. Image:	James Hardisty
One of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's previous projects, tackling the preservation of wetlands and peatlands on moorland above Skipton. Image: James Hardisty

Some 26 per cent of the country’s land is already protected for its natural beauty, wildlife and diversity, such as in national parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Now Boris Johnston is to commit to securing designated status for an additional 400,000 hectares by 2030, an area size equating to the Lake District and South Downs national parks combined.

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The announcement comes as a federation of wildlife conservation charities, including the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, launch a 30 By 30 appeal to raise £30m towards starting natures’ recovery.

The Prime Minister, who is today to sign the Leaders Pledge for Nature at a virtual United Nations event, is to commit to put nature and biodiversity on a road to recovery within the next decade. Countries must reverse “devastating” biodiversity loss and prevent more species from being lost forever, he will say, with a 68 per cent decline in global wildlife populations since 1970.

“We must turn these words into action and use them to build momentum, to agree ambitious goals and binding targets,” he will say. “We must act now – right now. We cannot afford dither and delay because biodiversity loss is happening today and it is happening at a frightening rate. Left unchecked, the consequences will be catastrophic for us all.”

The Government has said it will work with devolved administrations to agree an approach across the UK, and with landowners and society to explore how best to increase the size and value of protected land.

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It comes as the coalition of Wildlife Trusts, fearing hedgehogs, cuckoos and basking sharks are among species suffering serious declines, today warns natural systems are not functioning as they should.

Launching a £30m campaign to kickstart recovery, they call on Government to introduce a new “wildbelt” designation to protect land that is being restored for nature.

A loss of wild places and the breaking up of what remains has had a huge impact, The Wildlife Trust has warned, as it set out ambitions to restore habitats from wildflower meadows to woodlands and wetlands.

Chief executive Craig Bennett said the Government “seems to think there is more land currently protected for nature than is actually the case”, arguing national parks and AONBs are landscape rather than wildlife designations.

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While a commitment to increase land protection was a “good start”, the trust added, a level of urgent action is needed to deliver this on the ground.

“We will buy land to expand and join up our nature reserves; we’ll work with others to show how to bring wildlife back to their land, and we’re calling for nature’s recovery through a new package of policy measures, including big new ideas like wildbelt,” added Mr Bennett.

'Forgotten what we've lost'

Rachael Bice, chief executive of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, highlighted projects in the region from peatland restoration to access at Wheldrake Ings and the creation of wet and woodlands.

Just 15 per cent of Yorkshire is at present being positively managed for wildlife, she said, and there is much to be done to effect change following a “chronic” depletion of nature due to industrialisation and human practice.

“We’ve forgotten how much we’ve lost,” said Miss Bice.

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“What we want is a conversation, to see what we can do to make sure Yorkshire is flourishing in abundance - and how we can start to reverse this trend.

“Yorkshire’s culture, and dialect, has grown from this relationship that people have had with their natural environments and the wildlife within that. It’s really important that we re-establish that link with the land under our feet.”

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James Mitchinson