State of the natural environment in the South East
Natural England’s State of the Natural Environment report 2008 bought 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 identifies the impact of those threats on our landscapes and biodiversity.
Why it matters
The state of the natural environment matters to everyone in the South East. 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
The South East report
The State of the natural environment in the South East
report builds on the evidence presented in the national report to explore the significant issues affecting the South East’s most valuable environmental assets.
The South East has some of the country’s finest landscapes and wildlife alongside high density populations. This has served the region well, presenting great opportunities for healthy recreation, learning and enjoyment and contributing to our economic success. However, demands resulting from significant new growth, changes in land management and the changing climate are putting increasing pressure on our natural environment.
The report sets out how we are working with our partners to meet these challenges and secure a healthy natural environment for the enjoyment and benefit of all in the region.
Landscape
- The South East has more Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty than any other region (33%)
- Some of our finest landscapes are diverging from their valued character or suffering from management neglect.
- We have the highest number of commons in England at 22% of the total – a significant cultural heritage
- The South East population is growing with increasing demand for development. 32,000 houses are planned per year for the next 20 years.
See case study on 'Thames Basin Heaths' in Section 6.7: (225kb)
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Biodiversity
- Over 30% of England’s broadleaved, mixed and yew woodland, the most highly wooded region.
- Over 40% of England’s lowland heath resource, greater than any other region
- Over 16% of the lowland calcareous grassland resource.
- Over 60% of England’s vegetated shingle resource, over 10% of the intertidal mudflats, 16% of coastal lagoons and over 15% of coastal and floodplain grazing marsh, more than other regions.
- 692 SSSIs, many of internationally importance (86 SPA,SAC, Ramsar sites) and a total of over 35,000ha of semi-natural habitat.
- Areas of intertidal habitat have already been lost to sea level rise, in the South east there have been significant losses of saltmarsh across 12 Special Protection Areas.
See case study on 'Fen raft spider' in Section 3.8: (513kb).
Enjoying the natural environment
- The South east has nearly 300km of national trails
- We have 227 Local Nature Reserves and 58 country parks, the highest in any region.
- Our National Nature reserves draw nearly 3m visitors a year visiting the 37 National Nature Reserves.
- Significantly more SSSI by area are within boundaries of urban authorities than any other region
- Studies have suggested that communities with access to higher levels of green space are physically and mentally healthier than those with less.
- There are over 100 Walking Your Way to Health schemes, 24 newly accredited by Natural England with over 800 volunteers involved.
See case study on 'Economic benefits of national trails' in Section 4.4: (833kb).
Meeting the challenge in the South East
We will work with our protected landscapes (National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) to better conserve and enhance the natural environment through appropriate investment of over £2.5m in 2008-09.
We will promote the principles within the European Landscape Convention and work with others to develop our evidence base to better understand the drivers of landscape character change.
We will promote Green infrastructure policies in all spatial plans, disseminate best practice and work selectively with delivery partners in areas of growth. Green Infrastructure in new development has a major role to play in safeguarding and enhancing the state of the natural environment, and in providing a wide range of benefits to local communities.
We will develop our evidence base with key partners to inform our approach to targeting and delivery of Higher Level Stewardship through the rest of 2008-09.
We will work through the South East England Biodiversity Forum to refresh the regional biodiversity strategy, securing a yet stronger regional voice for delivery of biodiversity gains. We will deliver our 2008-09 target of 89% of SSSI’s being in favorable or recovering condition.
We will work with key partners and stakeholders to develop recommendations for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Eastern English Channel by 2011 as our contribution to the UK government’s aims to implement an ecologically coherent network of well managed MPAs around our coast by 2012.
We will through our coastal project, work in partnership with the Environment Agency and others to develop a Regional Habitat Creation Programme to meet the pressures along our coast
We will use our statutory position to ensure that planning and transport proposals contribute to the conservation and enhancement of the natural environment.
We will support our WHI work and further develop our health programmes working in partnership with BBC breathing spaces and through our NHS Alliance project.
We will build on our regional assessment of greenspace deficiency working with local authorities to increase opportunities to better engage people with their local greenspace.
Related report
State of the Natural Environment 2008
