Gloucestershire County Council has published the county’s first Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), setting out an ambitious new plan aimed at restoring wildlife, boosting biodiversity and creating a healthier environment for future generations.
The strategy, which comes into force immediately alongside a new interactive online map, outlines 113 suggested measures designed to support nature recovery across Gloucestershire — from river restoration and woodland protection to improving meadows, wetlands and urban green spaces.
The milestone was marked at Mitton Manor Primary School in Tewkesbury, where pupils, staff and council representatives gathered for a nature-themed launch event celebrating the county’s long-term environmental ambitions.
As part of the event, the school was presented with a bespoke Valentine’s card and an arrangement of locally grown dried flowers, supplied by Harebell & Bee, symbolising the county’s commitment to nurturing a lasting relationship with nature. Pupils also led guests on a tour of the school’s Rainbow Wood forest school, an outdoor learning space reflecting the kind of connected habitats and community involvement the strategy hopes to encourage across Gloucestershire.
A coordinated response to nature loss
The launch comes at a time when nature across the UK is under increasing pressure, with declining biodiversity and habitat loss widely recognised as major environmental challenges.
The newly published LNRS map, available on the council’s website, identifies opportunities for action across the county and provides guidance on practical steps that landowners, communities and organisations can take to support wildlife recovery. Suggested measures include natural flood management, regenerative farming, orchard re-planting and potential species-focused projects supporting bats, warblers, dormice, crayfish, damselflies and rare fungi.
Each recommendation is linked to detailed advice explaining what action could be taken and who may be able to help deliver it.
A new role in planning decisions
From today, local councils will be required to have regard to Gloucestershire’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy when preparing plans and making decisions. The strategy and its accompanying map will become a material consideration within the planning system, meaning environmental priorities must be taken into account alongside development proposals.
Council leaders say the approach will help ensure future growth supports nature recovery rather than working against it, with planners, farmers, landowners and community groups encouraged to work together on shared environmental goals.
A newly appointed delivery officer and the county’s Local Nature Partnership network are expected to play a key role in turning the strategy into practical action on the ground.
Benefits for people and wildlife
The council says the strategy is intended not only to support wildlife but also to deliver wider benefits, including improved mental and physical health, cleaner air and water, more sustainable food production and greater resilience to climate change.
Cllr Martin Horwood, cabinet member for Nature, Climate and Waste Reduction at Gloucestershire County Council, described the launch as a significant moment for the county.
“This launch marks a major turning point for Gloucestershire’s environment,” he said. “By putting nature recovery at the heart of how we plan, grow and care for our county, we’re taking action that will benefit generations to come. I encourage everyone to explore the strategy and the map online, see what can be done in your area and join us in making Gloucestershire a national leader in restoring the natural world.”
Phillippa Jones, headteacher at Mitton Manor Primary School, said the school was proud to host the launch.
“We’re delighted that Gloucestershire County Council chose our school as the setting for the launch of this ambitious strategy,” she said. “We’ve long had a forest school here at Mitton Manor and the benefits of nature for our children are clear for all to see. Through dedicating an area to nature, we have nurtured this important space and often see stag beetles, slow worms and all the other wildlife you’d expect.”
The council hopes the strategy will encourage residents and organisations across Gloucestershire to play a role in helping nature recover, creating greener, more connected landscapes across the county in the years ahead.