Morgan Parry, CCW
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The document discusses different approaches to managing protected landscapes and ecosystems in Wales. It notes that the Welsh government is reassessing its natural environment framework and is committed to recognizing environmental limits, ensuring policies consider the environment, and encouraging sustainable living. It also discusses balancing priorities like supporting rural communities, farming and tourism, while sustainably managing natural resources through an ecosystem approach.
Morgan Parry, CCW
- 1. Politics, Protected Landscapes and the Ecosystem Approach in Wales Morgan Parry Chair, Countryside Council for Wales
- 2. LIVING WALES Welsh Labour in government will reassess the principles which underpin A Living Wales –our Natural Environment Framework. In particular Welsh Labour recognises that the environment: • has an intrinsic value • is our life support system • is a finite source of raw materials and resources • is central to our quality of life, sense of place, health and wellbeing • underpins our economic development WELSH LABOUR IS COMMITED TO: • recognising and living within environmental limits, locally and globally • ensuring that all policies take the environment into account, in accordance with our statutory Sustainable Development duty • stimulating and enabling collaboration across the Welsh public sector • working with business and voluntary sector partners • encouraging individual citizens and communities to live in an environmentally sustainable way, and providing leadership by acting now for the future Welsh Labour Programme for Government
- 3. OUR GUIDING AIM IS TO ENSURE THAT WALES HAS INCREASINGLY RESILIENT AND DIVERSE ECOSYSTEMS THAT DELIVER ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL BENEFITS, WITH a focus on the value of the environment as a whole, opportunities for wider public involvement. a positive approach for landowners, farmers, fisheries, forestry, developers and regulated industries… delivering positive environmental change, not just conserving what we have changes in the way we deliver policy, make decisions and regulate the environment…. ensuring the public bodies, charged with protecting and enhancing the environment are equipped to deliver the new approach Welsh Government Statement 15 th June 2011
- 5. Ecosystems or Landscapes? National Ecosystem Assessment
- 6. Convention on Biological Diversity “The ecosystem approach does not preclude other management and conservation approaches, such as … protected areas, and single-species conservation programmes, but could integrate all these approaches and other methodologies to deal with complex situations”
- 7. CCW view Protected Areas will be managed for both features and ecosystem services set in a whole environment context and involving adaptive management and ecosystem restoration
- 8. Protected Areas 30% of Wales’ land is protected for it’s wildlife, scenic beauty or geological value 7/8 of the area of Natura 2000 sites are marine SACs
- 9. Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB extension
- 12. Report on CCW website -
- 14. Aims of Cambrian Mountains Initiative Support the development of sustainable, rural communities within the area of the Cambrian Mountains: Sustain the environment of the area Work with communities, producers and tourism providers within the surrounding area of influence; Ensure the future sustainability of Welsh family farms; Achieve the highest standards of land management and animal welfare; Provide the best Welsh welcome and a high quality of service to visitors to the area Use an ecosystems approach to managing our natural capital
- 19. What of the future? Some dilemmas, options and alternative scenarios….. And some potential fault-lines between Wales and England
- 20. England White Paper We will create new Nature Improvement Areas (NIAs) to enhance and reconnect nature on a significant scale, where the opportunities and benefits justify such action. Local partnerships will come together to form NIAs. Through reforms of the planning system, we will take a strategic approach to planning for nature within and across local areas…. We will retain the protection and improvement of the natural environment as core objectives of the planning system. We will establish a new, voluntary approach to biodiversity offsets and test our approach in pilot areas.
- 21. Land banking/biodiversity offsetting would be innovative and distinctive for the new Government in England potentially create bigger areas than currently required under Section 106 reduce the regulatory burden on developers compensate society for loss of environmental assets rather than seeking to prevent it risk being abused by legal manouvres and accountancy tricks supporting the existing statutory requirements would be a recognition that development needs regulating under a legal framework maintain the integrity of existing designated sites wherever possible protect more rigorously protected species, habitats and landscapes retain a key role for local authority staff and Country Agencies Market Mechanisms or Regulation?
- 22. A conceptual framework based on science would emphasise the principles underpinning ecosystem function recognise and address the drivers of ecological change accept the evidence for environmental limits having been exceeded focus on the supporting services such as soil formation, nutrient cycling prioritise restoration of habitats and the reduction of negative impacts invest in resilience to withstand climatic and other changes Chosing economics as a starting point however leads us to emphasise the links between ecosystems and human wellbeing accept the inevitability of ecological change focus on the provisioning services such as food, timber and energy prioritise creation of new economically valuable habitats or landscapes discount the economic impact of climatic and other changes propose technological solutions to overcoming natural limits Science v. Economics
- 23. Spatial planning is a partnership approach with stakeholders agreeing “what goes where” is participatory and democratic, but time-consuming builds on community-led approaches to sustainable development is resisted by planning professionals (in Wales at least!) Economic Valuation is technocratic, with values being determined by experts currently more robust for land-uses with tradeable products or services proposed change in land-use may be resisted by residents and landowners method of capitalising on the potential values still under-developed Spatial Planning v. Economic Valuation
- 24. The Big Society is a big component of the England White Paper but resisted in Wales civil society/voluntary sector is essential for local action and participation tradition of strong community in Wales but also a heavy dependency on the institutions of the state Big Society may therefore depend on a Big State for funding, skills, resources Strong role for state few people want to be actively involved in managing of public goods and services people expect “the experts” to safeguard the environment on their behalf legal responsibility for addressing many global challenges rests with the State Welsh Government is small and realtively close to its citizens Big Society, or the buck stops with Government?
- 25. Centralising moving powers from London to Cardiff is main agenda Welsh Government, 12 years after devolution, is still sub-optimal emphasis will be on Wales-wide approaches led by Government Strong drive to achieve national or international goals on climate etc. Localising Participation enhanced, empowerment engendered and leadership encouraged Diversity of solutions emerge, tailored to local conditions and needs Needs targets set by a higher authority for local choice and determination Centralisation or localisation
- 26. 3 points to take away Many shared principles, frameworks and international standards Wales will set its own course according to its own politics and values need to strengthen UK institutions like NAAONB
Editor's Notes
- #5: Forum for the future’s 5 capital model adapted to fit eco services into natural capital section
- #9: eight protected landscapes (National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) in Wales, occupying 5,078km2, i.e. 24.4% of Wales’s terrestrial space; Seven in every eight hectares of European designated Natura 2000 sites in Wales (0.5 million ha) are marine areas. Of the 21,000km2 land and freshwater surface area of Wales, about 30% is protected in special sites for wildlife, scenic beauty or geological value.
- #14: Mynyddoedd Cambrian yn enghraifft da o sut mae’r tirlun ehangach yn cael ei ystyried a’r gwasanaethau ecosustemau’n cael eu gwerthfawrogi
- #15: Mynyddoedd Cambrian yn enghraifft da o sut mae’r tirlun ehangach yn cael ei ystyried a’r gwasanaethau ecosustemau’n cael eu gwerthfawrogi
- #17: Map showing all types of green infrastructure, urban and rural This map shows the spread of green infrastructure across Bridgend County Borough Council – the map is based on a range of datasets such as the protected sites series, CCW’s accessible natural greenspace dataset, woodlands and wildlife trust sites. After combining these datasets the map was manually checked to ensure all areas of greenspace were picked up, including the smaller sites such as domestic gardens. This map shows that even in a reasonably densely urbanised area, there are considerable areas of green space.
- #18: Map recreational opportunities and health statistics – the idea being to promote more access in areas it will make most difference to health This map shows the level of health deprivation in Bridgend, with the darkest colours showing the most deprived areas, the lighter ones the less deprived areas. The pink lines show the areas that are accessible within 5km of settlements – research shows that most people do not travel more than this distance for the kind of exercise that can lead to health benefits (i.e. 30 minutes moderate exercise 4-5 times a week). The map also shows the recreational opportunities in Bridgend (i.e. the hatched areas and the areas in green). Analysis such as this can start to highlight areas where investment in green infrastructure can produce, as well as an increase in biodiversity, additional benefits, e.g by providing an outdoor recreation area in an area of high health deprivation.
- #19: Look at recreation – research shows people travel under 5km, need to look at mulitple benefits Area part of the ERDF Valleys Regional Park programme - £21.75 investment in recreation facilities Fantastic recreation resource already but under-managed - opportunity to contribute to improving physical activity and mental well-being - but underutilised - need to engage with the health promotion teams and community development workers to make it part of their strategy too - opportunities for community social enterprise whilst managing the natural environment assets.