Natural England - State of the Natural Environment
State of the Natural Environment
1 January 2010
The natural environment matters.
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.
In 2009, we published State of the natural environment in Yorkshire and the Humber, a sister document addressing the benefits of, and challenges faced by our natural environment in the region.
Why it matters
The state of the natural environment matters to everyone in Yorkshire and the Humber. 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 Yorkshire and the Humber
Landscape
- At 314,996 ha, Yorkshire and the Humber has more land designated as National Park than any other region.
- 19% of Yorkshire and the Humber’s coast is defined as Heritage Coast; of the coastal regions, only the South East has a lower proportion.
- Yorkshire and the Humber has no Geoparks or Biosphere Reserves.
- 6% of Yorkshire and the Humber is designated as Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Outside London, only the East Midlands has less.
- Yorkshire and the Humber has 89,840 ha of common land, compared with the national average of 41,039 ha.
- 62% of the SSSI on the region’s common land is in favourable or recovering condition, compared with 72% nationally.
Biodiversity
- Yorkshire and the Humber has more upland and lowland heathland habitat than any other region (and a larger area, at 79,306 ha, of England’s upland and lowland heathland SSSI than any other region).
- Overall 73% of the region’s SSSI is in favourable condition.
- Ingleborough NNR has over 30 species of lichen or bryophyte that are nationally rare or scarce.
- 93% of Yorkshire and the Humber’s coastal SSSI is in favourable or recovering condition.
- The Humber estuary is England’s third largest SSSI, SPA, SAC and Ramsar site and drains a fifth of England.
Enjoying the natural environment
- Yorkshire and the Humber has 215,308 ha of open access land, more than any region except the North East.
- Three National Trails fall fully or partly with the region; the Pennine Way, the Yorkshire Wolds Way and the Cleveland Way. There are 548km of National Trail in Yorkshire and the Humber.
- 32% of Yorkshire and the Humber’s coast has no known access provision.
- 5% of the area of National Nature Reserves (NNRs) are in Yorkshire and the Humber, yet they received only 2% of the total NNR visits.
- Between them, the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks had 18.5 million visitor days in 2007.
Meeting the challenge in Yorkshire and the Humber
We are reviewing access provision on the region’s National Nature Reserves. We will do everything we can to make our region’s reserves accessible to everyone and to encourage people to get out and enjoy nature.
The measures outlined in the draft Marine Bill will give everyone a right to enjoy responsibly the natural environment along the whole of our coastline. We will work with landowners and local authorities in the region to ensure that this right can be enjoyed by all.
The peat in our uplands holds a vast amount of carbon and is a valuable resource in managing climate change. We are working with landowners, local authorities and national parks to halt and reverse the degradation of our upland peatlands.
How to find out more information
'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.