Speak up for nature: Pictured from left to right, Andrew Critchlow from NFU, Kieron Huston from Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, our Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Environment, Councillor Carolyn Renwick, and Dr Polina Baranova, University of Derby.
Hundreds of people have already contributed to help create the area’s first Local Nature Recovery Strategy – a plan for how councils, businesses, landowners, land managers and other organisations will work together in the future to make sure nature and habitats on our doorsteps can thrive and survive.
We have been working alongside partners and local residents to look at what could and should be done to improve the natural environment across the city and county as well as identifying how and where work needs to take place.
Now, local residents, groups and organisations are being invited to have your say about the draft Local Nature Recovery Strategy or in person as part of a public consultation which launched today.
To engage with the community, flat-pack portable enclosures will be popping up at 5 venues across Derby and Derbyshire. The events will be led by Designing Dialogue Community Interest Company (CIC) – the organisation behind S.H.E.D (Social Higher Education Depot); a spin-out CIC of the University of Derby.
The enclosures – known as S.H.E.D PODS – are interactive spaces packed with resources designed to spark curiosity and conversation around nature. There will also be a chance to listen to a specially-commissioned piece of music created by young people at music and arts development organisation, BabyPeople.
Why not drop in to one of the events taking place from 10am to 4pm at:
- Killamarsh Active Leisure Centre on Monday 17 February 2025
- Bakewell Agricultural Business Centre: on Saturday 22 February 2025
- Derby Arboretum Park on Saturday 1 March 2025
- Glossop, Manor Park on Monday 10 March 2025
- Swadlincote, Sharpe’s Pottery Museum on Wednesday 12 March 205
As well as the events, there will also be 2 online meetings held from 1pm to 2pm, and from 6pm to 7pm on Tuesday 25 February 2025, which will provide an opportunity for the public to share their views and speak to members of the LNRS team about the draft plan.
Our Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Environment, Councillor Carolyn Renwick, said:
“Nature in Derbyshire needs our help. We need to take action now to protect our environment for tomorrow.
“When nature thrives, we all benefit and you can help by telling us what you think of our plan, called the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, to help protect and prioritise nature in Derbyshire.
“We’ve looked at the location and condition of Derbyshire’s habitats to identify areas where biodiversity is in decline or the ecosystem is in need of a boost.
“And we’ve put together an action plan for how councils, businesses, landowners and other organisations will work together in the future to make sure nature and habitats on our doorsteps can thrive and survive.
“Now it’s over to people in our communities to tell us what they think of the plan, either in person at one of our consultation events or online. Your views count.”
Dr Carly Butler, Researcher in Nature Connectedness at the University of Derby, said:
“By helping nature flourish in Derby and Derbyshire, we can help to address 3 of the biggest challenge we face; biodiversity loss, climate change and wellbeing.
“The Local Nature Recovery Strategy is an important project which will provide a blueprint for nature recovery and help to prioritise investments and where action should take place.
“Improving human-nature relationships is at the heart of what we do in the Nature Connectedness Research Group at the University of Derby. Our research demonstrates how important an individual’s sense of nature connectedness is for their own wellbeing and pro-environmental behaviour.
“A focus on growing nature connectedness at a community level has benefits that go beyond the individual, supporting community wellbeing and larger scale pro-nature values and actions.
Find out more about the Nature Connectedness Research Group.
We are 1 of 48 councils which have been given a statutory duty to lead the creation of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy for their area in partnership with other local groups and organisations.
Residents have until midnight on 20 March 2025 to comment on the draft Local Nature Recovery Strategy for Derby and Derbyshire.
Find out about Derbyshire's Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
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