Charity Buddy Attends the Launch of Surrey's Local Nature Recovery Strategy

On 2nd June, Charity Buddy team was delighted to attend the launch of Surrey Nature Partnership's Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), an important milestone in shaping a greener, healthier future for Surrey.

We were especially proud to see the nature recovery work already underway at Maple Farm, our rewilding site delivered in partnership with Youngwilders, featured in the launch video as an example of the positive action being taken across the county to restore habitats and support biodiversity.

The Local Nature Recovery Strategy is a new county-wide plan designed to identify where nature can be restored, protected and enhanced across Surrey. Required under the Environment Act 2021, every county in England is developing its own strategy, contributing to a nationwide Nature Recovery Network that will help restore, create and connect habitats across the country.

The strategy focuses not only on protecting wildlife but also on the wider environmental and social benefits that healthy natural spaces provide. These include carbon sequestration, flood regulation, cleaner air and water, and improved access to nature-rich spaces that support physical and mental wellbeing.

Surrey is fortunate to be home to a remarkable variety of landscapes and wildlife, from ancient woodlands and chalk downlands to heathlands, historic parklands and nationally important landscapes such as the Surrey Hills and High Weald. These natural assets play a vital role in supporting biodiversity while enhancing the quality of life for residents and visitors alike.

However, Surrey's natural environment faces increasing pressures from habitat loss, pollution, climate change, disease and changes in land management practices. The Local Nature Recovery Strategy aims to reverse this decline by identifying where and how land and water can be managed to create a network of nature-rich sites that are bigger, better connected and more effectively managed.

The strategy has been developed through extensive consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, including ecologists, conservation organisations, community groups, health professionals, landowners, local authorities and businesses. This collaborative approach reflects the fact that nature recovery requires collective action across all sectors of society.

The LNRS also aligns closely with Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), the planning requirement that ensures habitats are left in a measurably better state following development. Together, these initiatives will help embed environmental recovery into future planning and land management decisions.

For Charity Buddy, seeing Maple Farm featured as part of the launch was a proud moment and a reminder of the positive impact that local partnerships can have. Our work with Youngwilders demonstrates how organisations can contribute to nature recovery by creating and enhancing habitats that benefit both wildlife and local communities.

As the Local Nature Recovery Strategy moves from planning to delivery, we look forward to continuing our nature recovery plans and supporting initiatives that help create a richer, more connected landscape for wildlife and people across Surrey.