The Future Nature Route Map is the first step in a long-term strategy and commitment to restore nature in the National Park. It also defines where we want to get to and maps out a structure for how we will get there. More detailed delivery plans, partnerships, projects and monitoring frameworks will continue to build on this structure.
Our Future Nature principles will guide all of our work. We will:
To thrive and be resilient, nature needs to be part of a connected network across the National Park – and across the country. Future Nature takes a Nature Network approach; building, improving, and connecting existing core areas for nature and linking these across the landscape.
We believe that taking this landscape scale habitat approach is also key to thriving, resilient species in the National Park. Therefore whilst we will at times take approaches which focus on specific priority species, our primary focus will be on the wider habitats required for all species, including our own, to thrive.
Build our three key habitat networks
These three networks need to be resilient, high quality and connected in order to function and
support the wealth of species, ecosystem services.
Tackle the four key pressures which weaken and damage those network
Embed better nature restoration action into how land and water is used
To deliver a well connected living network we will need to protect and improve key sites such as our designated SSSIs and SACs. We will also need to create new habitats through land use change. Perhaps most importantly we will need to connect and embed our habitat networks across all land uses in the National Park:
To achieve the long-term vision and objectives we will develop a long-term Delivery Plan based around three pathways:
We have broken down the time until 2040 into four key stages:
STAGE 1: INITIATION 2022- 2023
STAGE 2: INSTIGATION 2024-2025
STAGE 3: PROTECTION 2026-2030
STAGE 4: RESTORATION 2030 -2040
OBJECTIVE 1: Reverse decline by 2030 (Stage 1,2 & 3)
OBJECTIVE 2 Widespread restoration by 2040 (Stage 4)
We are committed to a long-term and consistent structure to monitor and assess progress towards this Future Nature Vision. In 2023 we will complete a review and agree the initial set of indicators which will form the basis of a dashboard and reporting structure. Using this structure we will commission and report on our first baseline State of Nature report by the end of 2023 which will establish in detail how the nature crisis is playing out in the National Park. This will further focus our delivery plans and the key indicators and targets which will drive out work in the coming National Park Partnership Plan period 2024-2029.
You can read more detail on how we will monitor progress in the full Future Nature Route Map.