Natural England

Introduction

The natural environment matters

The State of the Natural Environment 2008 brings together for the first time the evidence we have about the current situation in our natural environment

The report demonstrates that the natural environment in England is much less rich than 50 years ago and remains under pressure from a significant range of threats. It illustrates the impact of those threats on our landscapes and biodiversity.

'The State of the Natural Environment' shows that our natural environment is not well placed to withstand the challenges.

Why it matters

The state of the natural environment matters to everyone in the South East. It is an essential regional asset that provides the foundations for our economic and social well being.

A healthy natural environment provides essential public services, such as

• Clean air, clean water and productive soils
• Support for economic activity and sustainable energy production
• Security against the impacts of climate change
• A natural health service, contributing to people's health and wellbeing
• Places to experience and enjoy the natural world

Action is needed now

Natural England is, in its Manifesto for the natural environment [720 kB], calling for action to be taken now by national, regional and local government, businesses and communities to put England on a greener path to a more secure future, while conserving the nation's rich and diverse natural environment.

The State of the Natural Environment in the South East

Landscape

• The South East has more Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty than any other region (33%)
• Some of our finest landscapes are diverging from their valued character or suffering from management neglect.
• We have the highest number of commons in England at 22% of the total – a significant cultural heritage
• The South East population is growing with increasing demand for development. 32,000 houses are planned per year for the next 20 years.

See case study on 'Thames Basin Heaths' in Section 6.7 [230 kB].

Biodiversity

• Over 30% of England’s broadleaved, mixed and yew woodland, the most highly wooded region.
• Over 40% of England’s lowland heath resource, greater than any other region
• Over 16% of the lowland calcareous grassland resource.
• Over 60% of England’s vegetated shingle resource, over 10% of the intertidal mudflats, 16% of coastal lagoons and over 15% of coastal and floodplain grazing marsh, more than other regions.
• 692 SSSIs, many of internationally importance (86 SPA,SAC, Ramsar sites) and a total of over 35,000ha of semi-natural habitat.
• Areas of intertidal habitat have already been lost to sea level rise, in the South east there have been significant losses of saltmarsh across 12 Special Protection Areas.

See case study on 'Fen raft spider' in Section 3.8 [510 kB].

Enjoying the natural environment

• The South east has nearly 300km of national trails
• We have 227 Local Nature Reserves and 58 country parks, the highest in any region.
• Our National Nature reserves draw nearly 3m visitors a year visiting the 37 National Nature Reserves.
• Significantly more SSSI by area are within boundaries of urban authorities than any other region
• Studies have suggested that communities with access to higher levels of green space are physically and mentally healthier than those with less.
• There are over 100 Walking Your Way to Health schemes, 24 newly accredited by Natural England with over 800 volunteers involved.

See case study on 'Economic benefits of national trails' in Section 4.4 [830 kB].

Meeting the challenge in the South East

We will work with our protected landscapes (National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) to better conserve and enhance the natural environment through appropriate investment of over £2.5m in 2008-09.

We will promote the principles within the European Landscape Convention and work with others to develop our evidence base to better understand the drivers of landscape character change.

We will promote Green infrastructure policies in all spatial plans, disseminate best practice and work selectively with delivery partners in areas of growth. Green Infrastructure in new development has a major role to play in safeguarding and enhancing the state of the natural environment, and in providing a wide range of benefits to local communities.

We will develop our evidence base with key partners to inform our approach to targeting and delivery of Higher Level Stewardship through the rest of 2008-09.

We will work through the South East England Biodiversity Forum to refresh the regional biodiversity strategy, securing a yet stronger regional voice for delivery of biodiversity gains. We will deliver our 2008-09 target of 89% of SSSI’s being in favorable or recovering condition.

We will work with key partners and stakeholders to develop recommendations for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Eastern English Channel by 2011 as our contribution to the UK government’s aims to implement an ecologically coherent network of well managed MPAs around our coast by 2012.

We will through our coastal project, work in partnership with the Environment Agency and others to develop a Regional Habitat Creation Programme to meet the pressures along our coast

We will use our statutory position to ensure that planning and transport proposals contribute to the conservation and enhancement of the natural environment.

We will support our WHI work and further develop our health programmes working in partnership with BBC breathing spaces and through our NHS Alliance project.

We will build on our regional assessment of greenspace deficiency working with local authorities to increase opportunities to better engage people with their local greenspace.

How to find out more information and get involved

'The State of the Natural Environment 2008' report contains more data, maps and case studies for this Region. The report and resource documents (with more information not included in the main report) can be found at www.naturalengland.org.uk/sone.

Read our Regional Web pages:

• Natural England South East
• South East Events

Or contact us:
Advocacy & Partnerships Manager- Chris Edwards - Chris.Edwards@naturalengland.org.uk
Biodiversity – Tom Butterworth - Tom.Butterworth@naturalengland.org.uk
Landscape – Graham Bryant - Graham.Bryant@naturalengland.org.uk
Enjoying the natural environment – Jenny Bowen - Jenny.Bowen@naturalengland.org.uk
Coastal Project- Chris McMulllon - Chris.McMullon@naturalengland.org.uk
Thames Basin Heaths- Kristoffer Hewitt - Kristoffer.Hewitt@naturalengland.org.uk
Government Teams - Claudia Chambers - Claudia.Chambers@naturalengland.org.uk

On the 10 June 2008 we will be holding our 3rd Stakeholder event in Guildford. Further updates on our work will be available at the event and on our web pages after 10th June.