Staffordshire County Council

Nature is in long term decline. With 41 per cent of wild species in declinenationally, and 15 per cent facing extinction. The requirement to take actionto reverse this is urgent. We recognise that:A) Nature provides us with vital support systems [‘ecosystemservices’], and severe declines in biodiversity are undermining nature’sproductivity and adaptability, posing excessive uncertainty for oureconomies and wellbeing;B) A thriving natural environment underpins a healthy, happy,prosperous society;C) The impacts of climate change are driving nature’s decline, whilerestoring and protection of natural habitat provides a wide variety ofcost-effective benefits to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climatechange.- 14 -D) Many areas of work of local authorities across the county ofStaffordshire have an impact on nature, and we have responsibilities tomake decisions to protect and enhance it.In order to support the recovery of nature across Staffordshire, and inrecognition of new obligations under the Environment Act 2021, this Councilcommits to:1. Work with partners and stakeholders to develop and deliver a LocalNature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) that sits within the national NatureRecovery Network and underpins planning, development and landmanagement decisions. As part of this, we will:a) improve and protect the landscape and flora and fauna’s resilienceto climate change, providing natural solutions to reduce carbon andmanage flood risk, and sustaining vital ecosystems;b) prioritise the restoration of peatland habitats and other high quali tynatural habitats, and adopt a peat-free policy wherever possible for allcouncil contracts and supplies;c) formulate a tree policy and strategy which is underpinned by NatureRecovery Network mapping across the local authority area, pursuing a“right tree, right place” approach;d) after satisfying safety and visibility priorities and the Highway Code,develop highways verge cutting regimes that maximise potential forcarbon storage, sequestration and biodiversity;e) seek to manage council-owned land for the benefit of wildlife by2030 (in line with UK Government’s national and internationalcommitments);f) meet the Environment Act requirement of 10% biodiversity net-gaincommitment across all council-owned land, aspiring to increase thiswherever possible;h) carry out a carbon audit of our key landholdings to establish howcarbon storage/sequestration could be improved. 2. Embed nature’s recovery into all strategic plans and policy areas, not just those directly related to the environment. Ensure the LNRS is well understood across the authority and complements other relevant plans and strategies.3. Working with partners, demonstrate leadership by supporting and engaging with businesses, communities and the wider public to take action to put nature into recovery.4. Build tackling the nature crisis into Cabinet’s environmental portfolio to provide a designated lead. 5. The Council designates a lead officer to coordinate the council operations in relation to the ecological emergency.6. Integrate the targets, objectives and outcomes of this motion with those outlined in the existing Climate Emergency Declaration to ensure measures to tackle climate issues do not contravene the principles of enhancing biodiversity.7. Where appropriate, the council will invest in nature-based solutions to climate change in order to tackle the nature crisis and climate emergency together.8. Through the LNRS, develop an evidence-based action plan including short and long-term targets for putting nature into recovery by 2030. Areas of focus will include:• Land management• Biodiversity• Roads and highways• Planning and development• Air quality• Transforming urban spaces• Health and wellbeing• People and communities• Education and awareness 9. That the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committee monitor the LNRS and the council’s action to support biodiversity and nature recovery on an annual basis. 10. Work closely with Staffordshire’s borough and districts councils via the recently formed Staffordshire Sustainability Board and other partners to promote Local Nature Recovery.

— Full Council (Source)