The draft Devon LNRS has been published by Devon County Council, and it’s open for consultation until November 5.

The strategy has been developed over the last two years through a process involving discussions with stakeholder organisations and wildlife experts, information gathering and mapping. You can now access the draft strategy via a dedicated website and from this you can access the interactive map viewer and consultation feedback form.

There are many ways to provide feedback: fill out the online survey form on the website, look out for local in-person events where the LNRS is being discussed – partner organisations are rolling these out across the county during October and a programme of dates will be published on the website, join them online at a freshwater (& estuaries) -focused webinar on October 20 at 6pm to hear freshwater (and an estuarine) organisations talk about what the LNRS means for them and ask the panel questions.

This will feature: how SWW will use the LNRS – David Smith (South West Water), the LNRS in Planning – Shaun Pritchard (Environment Agency), he salty interface - Estuaries - Eleanor Ward (Devon County Council) and full Restoration Rivers – Julian Payne (Westcountry Rivers Trust)

The Devon LNRS provides a wealth of information about Devon’s special species and habitats, their condition, the pressures on them, and actions to secure their conservation and / or recovery that individuals, communities, landowners and managers can take. Action for wildlife will be beneficial across all of Devon, but the LNRS also identifies “Opportunity Areas” where targeted actions will be of greatest benefit.

Using the “Near Me” mapping tool allows you to see the Opportunity Areas that have been identified in your area and the actions that you could take to support nature recovery.

The LNRS is entirely voluntary and is intended as a guide to help focus action. These strategies are being developed across the whole of England and are intended to help channel funding opportunities in the future.