Yesterday saw the publication of an important and independent review of England’s wildlife sites authored by Sir John Lawton. The report concludes that our protected areas are too small and too isolated and that this is leading to the loss of the wildlife that makes these areas special. Climate change will make the situation worse.
Here’s the news from DEFRA (and from the Guardian) where Secretary of State for the Environment, Caroline Spelman welcomed the report, in particular she said; “Sir John Lawton is right to challenge us over what it takes to address the loss of biodiversity but he is also clear this cannot be done by Government alone. Everyone from farmers, wildlife groups, landowners and individuals can play a role in helping to create, manage and improve these areas, so if ever there was a time for the Big Society to protect our natural environment, this is it.
Indeed.
We’re up for it and we launched our Futurescapes earlier in the summer, a programme that we will lead as our contribution to the revolution in thinking and scale that we need if 2020’s stop the loss and bring back wildlife is to mean anything.
The Government’s role will be smaller in the future but remains critical to the challenge of halting and reversing the loss of nature – this role will become clearer over the coming months when we learn the extent of the cuts and see the new Government’s intentions set out (for England) in the Natural Environment White Paper. The extent and targeting of the cuts will be a key signal of the Government’s ability to forge a realistic partnership with this part of the Big Society
There is still time to join over 301,000 people who have signed Letter to the Future saying don’t cut the life from the countryside.
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