Local Nature Recovery Strategy

What is the Local Nature Recovery Strategy?

In late June 2023, the Isle of Wight Council were appointed by Defra as the ‘Responsible Authority (RA)’ to prepare the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) for the island

• Local nature recovery strategies map nature recovery actions
• They target actions in locations where they are most needed and where they provide the best environmental outcomes
• The strategies will help to join up national efforts to reverse the decline of biodiversity

Approval of the LNRS for the Isle of Wight

In April 2025, Defra and Natural England approved the LNRS for the Isle of Wight and thought it was an 'exemplar strategy'. Cabinet also approved the LNRS at its meeting on 24 April 2025

The Isle of Wight LNRS is the fourth the LNRS in the country to go live. 

The final LNRS documents can be viewed below together with the local habitat map.

A number of toolkits explaining how different groups can use the LNRS will be available here and on the Island Nature website from late May 2025.

Download and read the LNRS documents:

• IOW LNRS Part 1 Description of Strategy Area
• IOW LNRS Part 2 Priorities and Measures
• IOW LNRS Part 3 Priority Species and Assemblages
• IOW LNRS Technical methods
  
• Local Habitat Map

Should you have any questions on the Isle of Wight LNRS contact planning.policy@iow.gov.uk

Or visit the Island Nature website

GOV.UK has more information about the purpose of local nature recovery strategies