Landowners & managers
Everyone in Sussex can contribute their priorities for nature’s recovery, but it is particularly important we hear from Sussex-based farmers, landowners and land managers because:
- No one knows the land as well as those who work it.
- Your knowledge and experience will help make LNRS actions feasible and deliverable.
- You can tell us where we must prioritise food production.
- The strategies will influence and inform future action and associated funding and investment – we want to ensure your interests are represented in discussions.
Interested in taking action for nature on your land?
Meeting the Arun to Adur Farmers Group in July 2024
What are Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS)?
- A new system of spatial plans for nature, executed at the county level (not to be confused with the Landscape Recovery scheme!)
- The main purpose of the strategies is to identify the best locations to create or improve habitat to support species recovery and bring about wider environmental benefits.
Benefits of taking part
- You tell us what habitats & species should be a priority in your area.
- Direct future effort and funding to support nature recovery.
- An opportunity to look at your marginal or unproductive land and whether it could be better utilised for nature.
How LNRS influence other schemes
- Biodiversity Net Gain: will direct funding into areas that will deliver the greatest benefits to nature.
- ELMs: role in guiding funding through the scheme to be defined by Defra.
- Local planning: will inform the planning process and public authorities’ strengthened biodiversity duty.
- Nature-based Solutions: inform their delivery which will help direct funding from private sector.
- Targeting: ensure the right things are done in the most effective areas.
What does it mean to be involved?
- Local Nature Recovery Strategies will not force landowners and managers to make changes based on what is mapped or published in the LNRS. Instead, action is encouraged through opportunities for funding and investment.
- Even if a landowner puts forward a measure on their land which is mapped in the strategy, this is a recommendation and not an obligation.
- LNRS do not introduce any new protections for the habitats, species or places mapped.
Why participate?
- They will enable farmers & land managers to better understand/determine if there are actions that would have particular benefit in their areas.
- They can help land managers to work together across areas and join-up actions to help improve connectivity.
- They'll be a useful resource to inform applications for funding, particularly spatially targeted action such as Landscape Recovery projects.
- By participating, you can have a voice at the table, and be the impetus for government to explore increasing alignment between funding initiatives and the strategies.
A Lapwing. In conversations with farmers, iconic birds seen on the farm such as Lapwings, Kingfishers and Skylarks are much loved and landowners are taking action to bring them back.
Watch the Sussex LNRS Landowner & Managers webinar (Nov 2023)
As our future delivery partners, landowners, farmers and land managers are one of the most important stakeholders for Sussex LNRS. Consequently, the sector was the first to be briefed.
This webinar, co-hosted by representatives from NFU, CLA, FWAG and CLM aimed to brief farmers and land managers on the LNRS and its potential impact on Sussex, on nature, and on their business.
Case studies
Hear from Ben Taylor, manager of the Iford Estate in South Downs National Park, a landscape-scale exemplar biodiversity project.
Hear from Lydia Baxter, Wilder Ouse Project Officer, on the advice and resources offered to farmers and landowners in the Ouse catchment.
Two directors of the Arun to Adur Farmers Group tell us about how their cluster has improved soil health and are bringing back lost species.
What can you expect as a landowner or land manager
High level information is being prepared to show where nationally or locally important sites and habitats are located across Sussex. This will be shared with Sussex-based landowners and managers to inform a wide conversation about the opportunities for nature on their land or in their vicinity, and how these might be brought about.
Actions identified in the strategy need to be realistic and achievable, so where possible, we’ll be working with Sussex landowners and managers to understand how priorities can be supported through schemes, projects or funding.
While actions captured in Sussex LNRS will be practical and will have been identified and shaped by those who manage the land, they won’t be mandatory. Landowners can also opt out of appearing on the final maps at any time before final publication, including during the public consultation phase.
Events
Throughout 2024 we will be meeting with groups of landowners and managers across the counties.
FAQs
If you're wondering how LNRS fit with existing schemes or incentives, or what they means for tenants, check out the FAQs for these answers and more.
