Nature Recovery Network NRN
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in December 2024, defines the Nature Recovery Network as: ‘An expanding, increasingly connected, network of wildlife- rich habitats supporting species recovery, alongside wider benefits such as carbon capture, water quality improvements, natural flood risk management and recreation. It includes the existing network of protected sites and other wildlife rich habitats as well as and landscape or catchment scale recovery areas where there is coordinated action for species and habitats.’
The Wildlife Trusts suggest that: ‘A Nature Recovery Network is a joined-up system of places important for wild plants and animals, on land and at sea. It allows plants, animals, seeds, nutrients and water to move from place to place and enables the natural world to adapt to change. It provides plants and animals with places to live, feed and breed. It can only do this effectively if, like our road network, it is treated as a joined-up whole.’ Ref https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/nature-recovery-network
The Environmental Audit Committee. Environmental sustainability and housing growth: Sixth Report of Session 2024–26 HC 439 describes Nature Recovery Network as "a national network of wildlife-rich places, supported by green and blue spaces that buffer and connect them. They include action to:
- Enhance sites designated for nature conservation and other wildlife-rich areas.
- Create and restore habitats to help wildlife populations recover, grow, and adapt to climate change.
- Improve the natural and urban environment’s resilience to climate change, using nature-based solutions to reduce carbon emissions and manage flood risk.
- Sustain vital ecosystems that provide healthy soil, clean water and clean air.
- Protect the natural, geological, historical and cultural diversity of the natural environment.
- Provide more, better green spaces to improve health and wellbeing."
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Areas of outstanding natural beauty.
- Biodiversity Net Gain BNG
- Biodiversity net gain (BNG) regulations and implementation; Government response.
- Biodiversity Net Gain: statutory must-haves, plus the delivery model that de-risks planning.
- Biodiversity net gain, tools, tips and terms for small sites.
- Biodiversity net gain and terminology explained.
- Conservation area.
- Designated sites.
- Environmental Development Plans EDP.
- Environmental Principles Policy Statement EPPS.
- Forests.
- Green belt.
- Guidance on tree specification, BNG and more.
- How nature can be used to improve wellbeing.
- Local Nature Reserve.
- Local Nature Recovery Strategy LNRS.
- Mitigation hierarchy.
- National nature reserve.
- National Parks.
- National Planning Practice Guidance.
- Natural England.
- Nature Restoration Fund NRF.
- NPPF consultation briefing notes on terms.
- NPPF inquiry.
- NPPF.
- Nutrient Neutrality NN.
- NPPF.
- Outline planning permission.
- Planning and Infrastructure Bill PIB
- Planning legislation.
- Planning permission.
- Protected species.
- Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI).
- Sites of special scientific interest.
- What is the biodiversity metric?
- Wildlife corridor.
- Wildlife Trusts.
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