Local Wildlife Sites and 30 by 30
Programme Summary
Our 868 Local Wildlife Sites (Sites of Nature Conservation Interest) cover 15% of the West of England. By acting as stepping stones and natural corridors for wildlife, they form an essential component of our ecological corridors and are therefore some of region’s most important places for biodiversity.
However, the management of these sites is voluntary, relying on owners, volunteers, and farmers to manage them sensitively for wildlife. Currently, most of our Local Wildlife Sites have not been monitored or managed for decades and risk falling into decline.
But with the right investment they could make a major contribution to the national ambition to have 30% of land managed for nature by 2030.
Why it matters:
- Thriving local sites underpin climate and ecological resilience
- Evidence shows nearby high quality green space improves people's mental and physical health
- They provide connected corridors for species adapting to climate change
- They support pollinators, plants, birds and mammals that depend on high-quality local habitats
- They are the key building blocks for larger landscape-scale conservation projects
- They create opportunities for ecological training, graduate schemes and apprenticeships
The programme will:
- Survey and assess all Local Wildlife Sites to “take the pulse of nature” at the local level
- Work with landowners to create tailored management plans and bring sites into active conservation
- Build a regional database and monitoring framework to guide policy and investment
- Demonstrate how Local Wildlife Sites can deliver up to 15% of our “30 by 30” target
Get Involved
If you own or manage land with a Local Wildlife Site, or wildlife-rich land that could potentially qualify, we would like to hear from you. We are also keen to work with ecologists, students, volunteers and citizen scientists to support long-term monitoring and surveying efforts.
