Wilder Horsham District by Helen Peacock

1. Wilder Horsham District
Helen Peacock, Horsham District Council

2. 1

3. UK losses
 97% since 1950’s = 7.5 million acres
 Now only 1% of UK landcover
Diverse habitat
 UK rainforest; up to 40 species per square metre
 Support wide range of insects
Ecosystem services
Pollination – 35% of worlds crops require insect pollination
Mitigate flooding – slow surface water
Store carbon
Generate and preserve soils
2
Darin Smith/Sussex Wildlife Trust
Species rich grassland

4. 3
“Help wildlife thrive across the district”

5. Create networks of land that is protected and enhanced for wildlife, to allow
habitats to expand and for species populations to increase, which will ensure
that they are more resilient to change
Increase awareness of actions that communities can take to improve their
local natural environment and the benefits that wildlife provides
Maximise the opportunities that protecting and enhancing wildlife brings for
climate change mitigation and adaptation
4

6. 5
The three strands of the project
Resilient Organisation
Resilient Landscape
Resilient Communities
© Miles Davies, Sussex Wildlife Trust

7. 6

8. Bigger, better, more joined up
- The Lawton Review
7
Protect Enhance
Sites Landscape
Nature Recovery Networks
- best practice from emerging guidance

9. 8
Management of Horsham District Council land

10.  Work with landowners, communities & Parish Council’s
 Link to existing projects
 Parks & Countryside team at HDC
 Landowner Advisor & Community Support Officer
 Nature Recovery Award
9
District wide action

11.  Includes Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)
 Use of DEFRA metrics; produce a BNG report
 On site first
 Off site must contribute to establishing the NRN; link to work with landowners etc.
 Allow movement of wildlife through development sites
10

12. Environment Bill
 LA duty to conserve & enhance biodiversity
 Local Nature Recovery Strategies
 Mandatory minimum10% BNG for new development
 Conservation covenants
Agriculture Bill
 Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS) = public money for public goods
Nature based solutions
 Link to the climate change agenda
11
Opportunities

13. 12
THANK YOU