Liverpool City Region launches first Local Nature Recovery Strategy

• Strategy sets out a plan to reverse decades of wildlife decline  

• City Region has lost 5% of habitats since the 1980s 

• 36 priority species of plants and animals locally extinct since 1970  

• Maps opportunities to create, enhance and restore habitats 

• Creates habitat map and new hub with resources and guidance  

L-R: Cabinet Member for Net Zero, Cllr Anthony Burns, Lucy Abram, Natural England, Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram and Gideon Ben-Tovim OBE, Chair of the LCR Climate Partnership and Nature Connected

Mayor Steve Rotheram has officially launched the Liverpool City Region’s first Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS).

The strategy sets out a plan to reverse decades of wildlife decline and improve access to green spaces, putting greener, healthier neighbourhoods at the heart of communities. 

Shaped by environmental organisations, local authorities, businesses, community groups and residents, the LNRS sets out 36 priorities for recovery around vulnerable local habitats and species.  

From wetlands to grasslands, woodlands to farmland and urban areas, it maps out for the first time the key areas and local wildlife most in need of help. 

It highlights where investment will have the greatest benefit for nature and people and provides advice and resources to help shape potential projects with a comprehensive Nature Resources Hub set to launch soon. 

Representatives from the Forestry Commission, Natural England and the Environment Agency joined local council officers, environmental groups, utilities, housing associations, community groups and the public for the launch event at the Museum of Liverpool this week.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:  

“We’re already taking bold action to protect and restore our natural environment – from our commitment to reach net zero by 2035, to our ambition for a discharge-free River Mersey by 2030, and planting a thousand new trees to create greener, healthier communities. But we know we must go further. The Local Nature Recovery Strategy is our roadmap for the future – a clear, collective plan to bring nature back into the heart of everyday life. 

“This is about showing that a modern city region like ours can lead the way: cutting emissions, restoring habitats, improving air quality, and creating places where both people and wildlife can thrive. Because nature shouldn’t be something distant or occasional – it should be part of our everyday lives.” 

The UK is one of the most nature‑depleted countries in the world, and the Liverpool City Region reflects this national trend.   

The region contains four internationally recognised wetlands, five European Special Protection Areas, three National Nature Reserves, 18 Sites of Special Scientific Interest, 384 Local Wildlife Sites and 29 Local Nature Reserves.  

Established under the Environment Act 2021, Local Nature Recovery Strategies are statutory, locally led plans that set out priorities and opportunities for restoring nature.  

Two public surveys on a draft LNRS in 2023 and 2025 found strong support for nature recovery, with 85% of responses citing mental and physical wellbeing as key benefits of access to nature. 

The final strategy was approved at the Combined Authority meeting on 6 March 2026 and marks a crucial first step in reversing nature loss and supporting wider benefits such as health and wellbeing, climate resilience, and sustainable growth. 

The Combined Authority and its partners are now working collectively to scale up action across the Liverpool City Region.

Lucy Abram, Natural England Deputy Director for the Cheshire to Lancashire Area Team, said: 

“Natural England is delighted to support Liverpool City Region’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy. It is a vital tool in our mission to halt and reverse the decline of nature. The work in Liverpool is an excellent example of how local communities, land managers and conservation organisations can come together to protect and restore habitats and species that make our natural environment so special.  

“We look forward to continuing our work with Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and other partners to turn this strategy into real action, creating bigger, better and more connected habitats where wildlife, natural heritage and people can thrive for generations to come.”