Latest News

Please click on the below links to download the Cumbria Local Nature Recovery Strategy newsletters.

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Loughrigg Fell, South Lakeland

May 2024 Update

The team have been focusing on the necessary work to establish the LNRS priorities for nature recovery in Cumbria. The LNRS priorities establish what the strategy is trying to achieve over the next three to ten years to aid in Cumbria’s nature recovery.

Since January, our habitat-themed groups have been reviewing various strategies, policies and data, extracting their priorities (or objectives), and compiling a long list of existing nature recovery priorities for Cumbria. The LNRS team then hosted six workshops between the 18th and 20th March to bring each group together, establish a long-term vision for each habitat theme, and identify a small number of targeted priorities using the long list created from the strategy review work. 

After a review by the Steering Group, we now have an initial list of 26 draft priorities for habitats in Cumbria, which can be viewed by clicking the link below. 

If you have any comments on these priorities and would like to provide feedback, please email us at Cumbria.LNRS@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk.

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March 2024 Update

Productive Workshops Kickstart Cumbria's Nature Recovery Strategy Priority and Vision Setting

This week marked a significant step forward in Cumbria's Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) as we held a series of successful workshops focused on different Cumbrian habitats. Over the past few months, our experts have been busy reviewing extensive data and evidence, creating a robust foundation to inform and guide discussions at these workshops.

Between March 18th and 20th, we brought together experts and representatives from various conservation bodies for dedicated sessions on:

  1. Woodlands
  2. Uplands
  3. Lowland Wetlands & Freshwater
  4. Coastal & Marine
  5. Grassland
  6. Improved Grassland, Forestry & Urban

These workshops served as a fantastic platform to discuss the long-term vision for Cumbria's natural environment and begin drafting key priorities for nature recovery.

We are incredibly grateful to the experts and conservation bodies who participated, their continued support is invaluable to the development of the LNRS.

This is just the beginning! We are committed to ensuring everyone has a chance to contribute. In the coming months, we will be hosting further workshops and engagement opportunities. Our goal is to unify Cumbria's voice for an approach to nature recovery where everyone has a role to play.

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Solway Coast
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Lake Windermere

December 2023 Update

Preparation for the Cumbria LNRS is well underway. The team has been appointed since September and have already conducted a data audit with partners to ensure any available data has been recognised and can feed into the LNRS development. Work is also underway to finalise the governance structure and overall timelines for the project.

Additionally, the team have been working hard to establish all the varying groups needed to develop the strategy and engaging with stakeholders throughout the process. At the time of writing, all of the following groups have been set up and have either had their initial meeting or are due their first session in January 2024:

  • Steering group.
  • Stakeholder engagement group.
  • Species.
  • Spatial planning.
  • Woodlands.
  • Grasslands.
  • Upland habitats.
  • Lowland wetland and freshwater.
  • Coastal and marine.
  • Modified and urban habitats.
  • People and nature.

We are also working with a wide range of partners to ensure the Cumbria LNRS will sit alongside neighbouring authorities, and so we have attended various sessions aimed at the north of England to strengthen our existing nature recovery links.

Contact details

Email us at Cumbria.LNRS@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk and we will add you to our contacts list to receive the latest newsletter updates.