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As the UK’s new government ministers settle into their new departments, we are calling for action to preserve and restore nature for wildlife, people and the climate.
What the government does in its first 100 days can pave the way for five years of new policy. By acting now to protect and restore nature, the government could transform the fortunes of wild plants and fungi.
We’ve sent a letter to the Secretary of State calling on the government to commit to a Grassland Action plan, establish a National Rainforest Fund, legislate to end peat sales and show global leadership in species recovery.
With 2 in 5 plant species at risk of extinction, biodiversity loss is now the fastest it’s ever been. This means our work has never been more vital.
We would like the new government to:
The ultimate multi-taskers, grasslands rich in wild plants and fungi can sequester and store carbon, clean our air and water, and produce sustainable food.
From farmland pastures to urban road verges – grasslands cover more than 40% of England’s land. Unlocking their economic and environmental benefits, as part of a circular economy, will support communities, local authorities and national agencies.
But the majority of our wildlife-rich grasslands have been destroyed and the losses are continuing.
We need the government to take a strategic approach, starting with the establishment of a Defra-led Grassland Taskforce to understand the social, economic & environmental potential of this national asset for people, the economy, nature and climate.
England’s temperate rainforests are of global importance, with the greatest concentration of oceanic lichens and mosses in Europe. These lower plants are ancient and pre-date humans, flowers and even dinosaurs.
But these habitats are rare, highly fragmented and facing multiple threats.
Whereas previous government plans to recover England’s temperate rainforests lacked ambition and commitment, we need a more far-reaching and detailed approach to help these precious habitats thrive.
Creating a National Rainforest Fund, to attract both private and public investment, will support long-term landscape-scale restoration, reduce external pressures and engage landowner and local communities in practical action.
Despite repeated commitments by the previous government, legislation to end peat sales is still not in place. Meanwhile, the harvesting of peat continues to destroy peatlands and their wildlife – releasing carbon and increasing flood risk.
There have been great strides in reducing peat use. Yet two-thirds of bagged compost sold in 2022 still contained some peat and total peat use for the year was 950,000m3.
With a fair, well-managed and supported transition, there is a bright, successful future ahead for a peat-free, sustainable horticultural industry. But legislation is required if this future is to be realised. To end the uncertainty that has plagued British horticulture for well over a decade and to protect our peatlands, we need to see this as a priority for the government’s legislative programme.
Fast forward to October when governments from across the world will gather at the UN CBD COP16 in Columbia, with the aim of driving global action for biodiversity forward.
This includes leading by example. We are calling on the UK government to set out its national plan, by October, for how it will meet the legally-binding targets in the Environment Act 2021 and the global biodiversity targets to 2030.
At COP 16, we need senior ministers attending and actively engaging in international collaboration for nature. By offering to host COP17 in the UK, the government will have an unmissable opportunity to show true global leadership on species recovery.
These are the critical first steps to building a healthy and prosperous society underpinned by a thriving and resilient natural environment. And as time begins to run out, we are using our position to bring lasting and positive change to our natural world – for everyone’s sake.
We hope the government will commit to protecting and restoring nature, which will help the future of wild plants and fungi, in England and across the world.
As environment policy is a devolved matter, UK government action relating to grasslands, rainforest and peat sales applies to England only.
Every year more reports are released calling for action to restore nature, or risk losing it. But what are we doing to speak up for our wild plants and fungi, and how can you join us on our mission to protect nature?
The nature and climate crises are inseparable challenges: healthy species and habitats provide essential solutions to climate change, absorbing carbon and increasing resilience.
We are calling, alongside our partners, on the UK Government to prioritise grasslands and commit to developing a Grassland Action Plan for England.
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