Nature Recovery Plan

Devon is world-famous for its rolling green vistas, but these "postcards" often hide a silent reality: fragmented habitats and declining species. To fix this, the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) has been launched—a statutory blueprint designed to shift our landscape from a passive view to an active, living network.

1. Nature as "Critical National Infrastructure"

We are moving away from seeing nature as a luxury and reframing it as a functional necessity.

• The Working System: Healthy ecosystems are essential for clean water, healthy soils, and flood prevention.

• The Beaver Effect: Species like beavers are now viewed as "key nodes" for water filtration rather than just curiosities.

• Economic Stability: Restoring nature is now positioned alongside major physical projects to secure funding and public safety.

2. The "Soil-First" Revolution

While most strategies focus on what is visible, the LNRS looks beneath the surface.

• Healing the Ground: Bespoke soil maps identify "legacy compaction"—areas where intensive farming prevents the earth from absorbing water.

• Hidden Biodiversity: Protection now extends to the foundation of the ecosystem: fungi, earthworms, and springtails.

• Natural Regeneration: In East Devon, this data helps experts decide when to plant trees and when to simply let a "chaotic tangle" of life grow back naturally.

3. "Delight in the Unruly": The End of Neatness

The LNRS marks a major cultural shift: moving away from the "straight, neat, and tidy".

• The Chaotic Tangle: We are encouraged to embrace uncut lawns in churchyards and "messy" hedges.

• The "Mowing Line" Pro-Tip: To show that a wild area is intentional, the strategy suggests mowing a neat border around long grass.

• Pollinator Paths: In Sidmouth and Honiton, reduced mowing is already turning road verges into vital wildlife corridors.

4. Mandatory Gains: The "Nature-First" Economy

Since 2024, Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) has made nature recovery a legal requirement for developers.

• The 10% Rule: Developers must ensure projects leave nature in a better state (at least 10% better) than they found it.

• Strategic Investment: The LNRS "Master Map" tells developers exactly where their investment will do the most good, such as expanding grasslands or restoring hedges.

Component Transition Impact

Traditional View Nature as "Scenery" Passive, fragmented, and declining.

The New View Nature as "Infrastructure" Active, connected, and legally protected.