Policy paper

The Nature Recovery Network

A national network of wildlife-rich places to increase and restore nature.

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

Applies to England

Documents

Details

The Nature Recovery Network is a commitment in the government’s Environmental Improvement Plan. Defra and Natural England are bringing together partners, policies and funding to strengthen and grow a national Nature Recovery Network in England. This will help to restore, enhance and connect the natural environment to create more wildlife-rich places, as identified in Sir John Lawton’s 2010 review of England’s wildlife sites ‘Making Space for Nature’.

The network will help to address biodiversity loss, climate resilience and access to nature, and will help to deliver the Environmental Improvement Plan and nature improvement targets provided by the Environment Act 2021.  

This document explains: 

  • what the Nature Recovery Network is 
  • what the network’s objectives are  
  • how Defra and Natural England are growing the network with partners 
  • the roles of the Nature Recovery Network Delivery Partnership and management group, and how to become a partner

Updates to this page

Published 21 October 2020
Last updated 16 February 2024 + show all updates
  1. Document updated throughout to incorporate policy development relating to the delivery of the Environmental Improvement Plan and nature improvement targets provided by the Environment Act 2021.

  2. Updated the section 'How we will set up the NRN' with the latest information about the network.

  3. Updated the section 'Integrate funding and land management duties' with new funding available for nature. The Green Recovery Challenge Fund has doubled to £80 million.

  4. Added a list of the members of the management group.

  5. First published.

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