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Draft:Nature Recovery

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Nature Recovery

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Nature Recovery is the activity of helping life on Earth to thrive by repairing human relationships with the rest of the natural world.[1] The etymology of the phrase comes from the concept of 'recovery' in relation to species or habitats as seen in species recovery plans and the concept of ecological recovery. However, while ecological recovery looks at "the return of a population or ecosystem to a pre-defined status after a disturbance to its normal activities"[2] , the concept of Nature Recovery is far broader in scale and is forward looking with an awareness of the impacts of climate change and human land use needs rather than a desire to return an ecosystem to a previous state.

Importantly, Nature Recovery recognises the role of humans and their existence as a subset of nature[3]. It allows for a diverse range of approaches which are required to meet the needs of humans and non-humans[4]when it comes to halting biodiversity loss. While conservation has been defined as "the protection of wildlife from irreversible harm", Nature Recovery is about enabling a direction of travel more than it is about reaching a protected end state. It seeks the protection and enhancement of biodiversity and ecological functions everywhere, in highly degraded areas, urban and agricultural landscapes as well as in environments with a lower human footprint.

Due to its breadth of meaning Nature Recovery can cover a range of ecological practices, from traditional conservation practices though to rewilding and including regenerative agriculture and smaller scale urban habitat creation.

Nature Recovery Networks in the United Kingdom

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Nature Recovery gained prominence in the United Kingdom when Nature Recovery Networks (NRNs)[5]were formally introduced as part of the UK Government's 25 Year Environment Plan, published in January 2018. They are part of a comprehensive initiative aimed at reversing biodiversity loss and enhancing the natural environment.

The NRN concept is based on the recommendations of the 2010 Lawton Review[6], which called for a "coherent and resilient ecological network" to address habitat fragmentation and biodiversity loss. The primary goal of NRNs is to create a national network of wildlife-rich places by expanding, improving, and connecting existing natural habitats. This network is intended to make landscapes more resilient to climate change, support wildlife populations, and enhance public access to nature​[7]​.

Key Principles

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The principles guiding the development of NRNs include:

  1. Bigger: Expanding the size of current wildlife habitats.
  2. Better: Improving the quality of existing habitats.
  3. More: Increasing the number of habitats.
  4. Joined-Up: Connecting habitats to facilitate wildlife movement and genetic exchange.

These principles aim to create a more interconnected and robust natural environment that can support a wide range of species and ecological processes​.

References

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  1. ^ "What is Nature Recovery?".
  2. ^ "ecological recovery | EFSA". www.efsa.europa.eu. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
  3. ^ "Are humans separate from nature?". British Ecological Society. 2022-06-01. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
  4. ^ Dunn-Capper, Rowan; Quintero-Uribe, Laura C.; Pereira, Henrique M.; Sandom, Christopher J. (2023-05-25). "Diverse approaches to nature recovery are needed to meet the varied needs of people and nature". Sustainability Science: 1–17. doi:10.1007/s11625-023-01337-w. ISSN 1862-4065. PMC 10209942. PMID 37363315.
  5. ^ "The Nature Recovery Network". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
  6. ^ "'Making space for nature': a review of England's wildlife sites published today". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
  7. ^ "Nature Recovery Network". WENP. Retrieved 2024-07-24.