Nature Recovery Networks to create a Wilder Future
The ecological and climate crises are detrimentally impacting nature and people across Northern Ireland. Recent research by the Natural History Museum and the RSPB showed that Northern Ireland Ranks 12th worst in the world when it comes to biodiversity loss, making it one of the most nature depleted places in the world. It is clear, therefore, that we need a step-change in how we protect and manage the natural environment.
One of the key actions needed, is the protection, restoration, connection and creation of places for nature, through what we call Nature Recovery Networks (NRNs), as was recently recognised by the UK’s five statutory nature conservation bodies Nature-Positive 2030 report. By legislating for and adequately financing Nature Recovery Networks in Northern Ireland, we could put nature on the path of recovery, and deliver far-reaching benefits to society.
What are Nature Recovery Networks?
Working with the principles of More, Bigger, Better and more Joined-up spaces for nature, NRNs bring together a wide range of insights and actions to recover nature, where habitat area, habitat quality and connectivity between places are key ingredients. The components of NRNs can be natural or man-made, and of any size ranging from green roofs to landscape-scale conservation projects!
Globally and locally, governments are currently designing new policies that will impact the health of our environment for many years to come. For Northern Ireland to play its role in the global effort to tackle the nature and climate crises, and reverse local biodiversity loss, the NI Executive and Assembly must commit to bold action for Nature’s Recovery. The realisation of Nature Recovery Networks should play an integral part in future policy and decision-making.
What is Ulster Wildlife doing?
Since September 2020, with generous funding from the National Heritage Lottery Fund & DAERA Environmental Challenge Fund, Ulster Wildlife has been working in partnership with RSPB NI, National Trust and Woodland Trust (in the spirit of the Landscape Partnership) on a project to build capacity to deliver NRNs in Northern Ireland. With assistance from key stakeholders, the project produced the first set of National habitat network maps for Northern Ireland which provide a spatial plan to help identify the best sites for wildlife, and how to restore and join up these areas.
We continue to work with the central and local government and other stakeholders towards the adoption of this landscape-scale approach into policy and practice. Furthermore, below are some examples of how we’re already helping nature recover by implementing the NRN principles in our work:
What can you do?
We can all play a role in making NRNs a reality in Northern Ireland. With action across the Government, as well as from land-managers and communities, NRNs could help bring more nature into our countryside, towns and cities: benefitting nature’s recovery, while reconnecting places and people!
Contact
For now, the work we are conducting does not involve any form of advisory service or delivery of practical work on the ground. We do hope that as an output of the project currently underway, we will develop proposals and advice for future action, moving from planning to delivery.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with our Nature Recovery Networks Project Coordinator Nina Schönberg, she’d love to hear from you!
Downloadable Resources
