Local authorities, government departments, government bodies, NHS Trusts and utility companies have a duty (opens new window) to further the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity as part of their policies, decision-making and actions.

Through the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (opens new window), this is now particularly pertinent to National Parks, as it amends the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 (opens new window). Relevant authorities, in carrying out their function or affecting land in the National Park, must seek to further National Park purposes.

With public authorities and utilities companies owning around 19% of the National Park, it is important relevant authorities lead the way when it comes to nature recovery, to fulfil their duties to biodiversity and National Parks, but also because they are generally better able to access significant amounts of funding. However, there is also the need to acknowledge that there is a lack of recognition of how key staff coordination and facilitation time is to delivery, along with robust baseline data, and monitoring and evaluation. Confounding this is a shortage of experienced, skilled professionals in many sectors, from digital and IT, through advice to on-the-ground practitioners.

For nature

• Policies fully consider how action will influence nature, consider and integrate nature into policy, and maximise nature recovery delivery.
• A coordinated approach to delivering the biodiversity duty and duty to further National Park purposes.
• Public authorities own and manage a range of habitats that can be enhanced or restored to deliver for wildlife.
• Public infrastructure, including reservoirs or highways, should be enhanced to deliver as much as possible for nature through the biodiversity duty. For example, road verges can be species-rich grasslands with the right management.
• Nature recovery action on public authority-owned and -managed land can demonstrate existing and new techniques.
• Nature recovery action in public spaces can help engage people in nature.
• Publicly-owned and -managed land can form an important component of the nature recovery network.

What else can public authorities deliver?

• A holistic approach, integrating nature into statutory and other functions will deliver multiple public goods and benefits.
• Living and working in and around natural environments has benefits for physical and mental well being (opens new window), and hospital patients with views of nature can even recover quicker (opens new window).
• Restoring natural processes on public land, with lower inputs, can reduce costs to councils and other authorities that previously had to maintain sites.
• Wilder areas require less management at public expense, even things as simple as not mowing village greens and grassy areas in spring will reduce costs.
• More natural environments in an area can improve the aesthetics of the region, improving the experience of those living, working or visiting there and can create tourism opportunities and increase the value of property.

In practice

• Consider what action each authority can take (opens new window) to conserve and enhance biodiversity when carrying out its functions, integrating nature recovery at all levels, every five years or less from 2022.
• Contribute financially to coordinated nature recovery action that can deliver more than the sum of its parts.
• Public authorities should work alongside private land owners and charities to create larger scale nature recovery networks across the Peak District.
• Ensure all the different regional, organisational and departmental branches of public authorities are communicating effectively to deliver a more unified approach.