Natural England - State of the Natural Environment
State of the Natural Environment
1 January 2010
The natural environment matters
Heather Restoration, Howden Moors, Peak District
The State of the Natural Environment 2008 brings together for the first time the evidence we have about the current situation in our natural environment
The report demonstrates that the natural environment in England is much less rich than 50 years ago and remains under pressure from a significant range of threats. It illustrates the impact of those threats on our landscapes and biodiversity.
'The State of the Natural Environment' shows that our natural environment is not well placed to withstand the challenges.
Why it matters
The state of the natural environment matters to everyone in the East Midlands. It is an essential regional asset that provides the foundations for our economic and social well being.
A healthy natural environment provides essential public services, such as
- Clean air, clean water and productive soils
- Support for economic activity and sustainable energy production
- Security against the impacts of climate change
- A natural health service, contributing to people's health and wellbeing
- Places to experience and enjoy the natural world
Action is needed now
Natural England is, in its Manifesto for the natural environment, calling for action to be taken now by national, regional and local government, businesses and communities to put England on a greener path to a more secure future, while conserving the nation's rich and diverse natural environment.
The State of the Natural Environment in the East Midlands
The State of the Natural Environment in the East Midlands brings together for the first time the regional evidence we have about the current situation in our natural environment.
Landscape
- In the Peak District National Park and Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), the East Midlands has two attractive designated landscapes.
- The internationally renowned Peak District National Park bestrides three regions. The 89,519 hectares in the East Midlands accounts for 6% of the region’s land area.
- The Lincolnshire Wolds AONB is the only designated AONB in the region, accounting for 3% of the land area in the East Midlands, compared with a national average of 15%.
- Outside the designated landscapes, the character of much of the region’s landscape is classified as changing or in a neglected state.
- The landscape has been enhanced across the Fens, Melbourne Parklands and the Leicestershire & Derbyshire coalfields.
- The East Midlands region has just 0.3% of England’s common land.
Biodiversity
- The region has 392 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), covering an area of 165,000ha. Close to 40% (62,046ha) is located in The Wash which is largely marine. In every county but Derbyshire less than 2% of the land is designated as terrestrial SSSI.
- 89% of the region’s SSSI land is in favourable condition. Major contributions have been made by:
- the implementation of a sustainable shellfish management policy in The Wash. See case study on 'Sustainable Shellfish Management in the Wash' in Section 6.8
. - working with water companies and tenant farmers in the Peak District to address overgrazing and drainage and improve the condition of blanket bogs. We are also working on the restoration of bare peat, the degradation of which contributes to carbon emissions and climate change. See case study on 'Sustainable Catchment Management Programme (SCaMP)' in Section 6.6 .
- the implementation of a sustainable shellfish management policy in The Wash. See case study on 'Sustainable Shellfish Management in the Wash' in Section 6.8
- The Wash is the largest SSSI in England, containing 14% of England’s coastal SSSI habitat - 60,678ha, 99.5% of which is in favourable or recovering condition. It is an integral part of a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and is a Ramsar site which reflect the international importance of its species and habitats. It is also a Special Protection Area (SPA) for its internationally important bird populations.
- We also have nationally significant heathlands in Nottinghamshire, Sherwood and the Lincolnshire Cover Sands (10,536ha in SSSI) and the most northerly population of Pasque flowers in England.
- The region has 7,982ha of woodland in SSSI. There are important semi-natural woodland complexes in the ancient forests of Sherwood (Nottinghamshire), the Bardney Limewoods (Lincolnshire), Rockingham Forest (Northamptonshire), Leighfield Forest (Leicestershire).
- The East Midlands has some of the most productive agricultural systems and soils in the country. Despite this, 66% of all available agricultural land is now in environmental land management agreements – an outstanding result.
Enjoying the natural environment
- The Peak District National Park receives 22 million visits each year, almost one third of all visits to national parks in England.
- The region has 14 National Nature Reserves (NNRs) covering an area of 4,000ha. Between them, they received 1.6 million visits in 2005/6.
- Over 200,000 people visit our Derbyshire Dales NNRs, including a “spotlight” NNR in Lathkill Dale; our “spotlight” NNRs at Sherwood allow visitors to experience the area’s ancient trees and heaths.
- The bracing sea air and dunes of Saltfleetby, Donna Nook and Gibraltar Point NNRs receive over 665,000 visits annually, and Saltfleetby is the third most visited Natural England-managed NNR in England.
- The East Midlands has 18,000km of public rights of way, 625 km of navigable waterway and 121 Local Nature Reserves, many around built-up areas.
- Of the 7,158ha of permissive access under the agri-environment schemes nationally, 1,253ha or 17.5% can be found in the East Midlands.
Meeting the challenge in the East Midlands
We will work in partnership with land managers to ensure that we continue to achieve high levels of sustainable land management in changing economic circumstances.
More urban growth is planned in the East Midlands than in any other English region, with 175,000 new homes planned across Northamptonshire and around Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, Newark, Lincoln & Grantham. We will work through the planning system and with stakeholders to ensure that green infrastructure strategies are developed for the growth points, particularly the three cities sub-regional growth point, to recreate biodiversity and provide new opportunities for people to access the natural environment close to where they live, so helping combat low levels of physical activity and high levels of obesity.
Low-lying nature of the Lincolnshire coast makes it vulnerable to flooding and a climate change-induced rise in the sea level threatens the squeezing of coastal habitats against sea defences and developed land. We will work with regional partners to develop a plan for the Lincolnshire coast that sustains its internationally important coastal habitats for wildlife and people in the face of sea level rise.
How to find out more information and get involved
'The State of the Natural Environment 2008' report contains more data, maps and case studies for this Region. The report and resource documents (with more information not included in the main report) can be found at www.naturalengland.org.uk/publications/sone.
Over the next few months we will hold events for our stakeholders on the themes of the “natural health service” and Green infrastructure. A stakeholder event touching on all NE themes will be held in the autumn. If you would like to know more about any of these events, please contact: eastmidlands@naturalengland.org.uk.