Maddy Jago from Natural England discussed the Natural Environment White Paper and Biodiversity 2020 strategy, which aim to halt biodiversity loss through large-scale, integrated approaches. AONBs play a key role in delivering these priorities by protecting areas like the North Pennines that are biodiversity hotspots. Partnerships like the Yorkshire Peat Partnership are restoring peatlands across large landscapes. The talk explored valuing ecosystem services and working with AONBs to demonstrate biodiversity successes through evidence. Maddy concluded by asking how AONBs can deliver the new policy and what support is needed from Natural England.

1. Maddy Jago
Natural England

2. Maddy Jago, Director, Landscape and
Biodiversity
Ecosystems delivery in England

3. What I’m going to cover
• Natural Environment White Paper and Biodiversity 2020
- new approaches to biodiversity delivery
• Valuing ecosystem services and biodiversity assets
• NEWP and Biodiversity 2020: a central role for AONBs
• To end with -three key questions for you

4. You are key players in delivering
Government’s priorities for the
natural environment

5. North Pennines AONB – biodiversity
North Pennines AONB
hotspot
• 40% of the UK's
species rich upland
hay meadows
• 80% of England's
Black Grouse (and the
proposed Northern
Upland Chain LNP has
the whole population)
• over 20% of England's
blanket bog

6. Yorkshire Peat Partnership partnership
Yorkshire Peatland
• A collaborative approach
demonstrating landscape-scale
principles
• Aim is to restore 70% (48,500ha)
of Yorkshire’s blanket bog through
a programme of grip blocking,
gully restoration and bare peat
re-vegetation by March 2024
• to raise awareness and promote
the multitude of benefits that
peatland restoration can provide
to a wider audience.

7. Natural beauty and biodiversity

8. The policy context
Making
Space
for
Nature
–
Lawton
Report
2011
2010

9. The ecosystem approach
Provisioning services Cultural services
Fresh water Cultural heritage
Food (eg crops, fruit, fish, etc) Recreation and tourism
Fibre and fuel (eg timber, wool, etc) Aesthetic value
Genetic resources (used for crop/stock breeding and biotechnology) Spiritual and religious value
Biochemicals, natural medicines, pharmaceuticals Inspiration of art, folklore, architecture, etc
Ornamental resources (eg shells, flowers, etc) Social relations (eg fishing, grazing, cropping communities)
Regulatory services Supporting services
Air quality regulation Soil formation
Climate regulation (local temp. /precipitation, GHG sequestration, etc) Primary production
Water regulation (timing/scale of run-off, flooding, etc) Nutrient cycling (water recirculation in landscape)
Natural hazard regulation (ie storm protection) Water recycling
Pest regulation Photosynthesis (production of atmospheric oxygen)
Disease regulation Provision of habitat
Erosion regulation
Water purification and waste treatment What you don’t
consider you may lose!
Pollination
Thanks to Mark Everad from EA for this slide

10. Valuing nature and paying for
ecosystem services
NOT about putting a value on every lapwing or flower
But we must move away from the current market failure
where the most environmentally damaging actions and
products are often the cheapest.
Potential opportunity:
•Better understanding of true impacts of actions
•New markets could develop for some ecosystem services
•New ‘partners’ and business opportunities
•Better (and cost-effective) outcomes for society and
biodiversity
•Allowing better focus of scarce
biodiversity funding

11. European Landscape Convention
“landscape means an area, as
perceived by people, whose
character is the result of the
action and interaction of natural
and/or human factors”
• Landscape is important, because it
links culture with nature, and
past with present.
• Landscape matters to people
and encompasses ‘all ways of
seeing’.
• The ELC applies to all landscapes
everywhere, and in any condition.

12. Biodiversity 2020 – Mission
Mission:
• halt biodiversity loss,
• support healthy well-functioning
ecosystems
• establish coherent ecological networks
• more & better places for nature for the
benefit of wildlife and people
How?
7.A more integrated large-scale approach
8.Putting people at the heart of
biodiversity
9.Reducing environmental pressures
10.Improving our knowledge

13. Terrestrial Biodiversity Group
Responsibilities The challenges
• 1A Better habitats • The ecological
challenge: status
• 1B More habitats quo is not enough
• 1C Integrated • The delivery
joined up challenge:
ambitious targets,
approaches finite resources
• 1D Restoring • The engagement
ecosystems challenge:
catalyse, connect,
• 3 Species coordinate

14. New approaches to biodiversity
NEWP – new approaches to
biodiversity

15. AONBs and SSSI condition
A sample of AONBs – a great contribution towards SSSI
condition and biodiversity

16. Working in partnership with you
• Jurassic Coast - Dorset AONB,
East Devon AONB
• West Penwith – Cornwall AONB
• Big Chalk – North Wessex Downs
Cranborne Chase, and West
Wiltshire Downs AONBs
• Hampshire Farmers – Chilterns
AONB
• Lime & Ice – Howardian Hills
AONB
• Derwent Valley – North Pennines
AONB
• Wye Valley-Wye Valley AONB
• Connecting Cannock Chase –
Cannock Chase AONB

17. The evidence base

18. Three key questions
• What role can your AONB play in delivering NEWP
outcomes for biodiversity and ecosystem services?
• What can you do collectively as a family of protected
landscapes to demonstrate your biodiversity successes?
• How can Natural England best help you?