Hertfordshire has placed farmers and land managers at the heart of its first Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), a landmark plan to restore wildlife across the county.
Published after two years of development and public engagement, the strategy will guide how agricultural land, private estates and community green spaces contribute to habitat recovery.
A formal “nature summit” will be held in January to outline how farmers and landowners across the county will participate in delivering the new priorities.
The LNRS is also expected to shape how national schemes such as the Environmental Land Management programme and the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) are applied locally, ensuring environmental funding aligns with the county’s priorities.
With 70% of Hertfordshire’s land in private ownership, the LNRS places significant emphasis on supporting farmers to create and enhance habitats—including improving conditions for species such as swifts and water voles, restoring chalk streams, and developing more diverse, climate-resilient farmland.
The plan is intended to work alongside food production, not compete with it, though some farmers note that balancing new environmental commitments with day-to-day business pressures may present practical challenges.
More than 70 sites were voluntarily put forward by local farmers and landowners for inclusion in the LNRS, reflecting the sector’s growing interest in environmental stewardship.
Hertfordshire also recorded 751 consultation responses — the highest in the country — with many submissions coming from farming families, rural businesses and community groups.
Cllr Paul Zukowskyj, chair of the Hertfordshire Nature Recovery Partnership, said the strong engagement shows how deeply rural communities care about their landscape.
The strategy, he said, is “a roadmap for a greener, healthier Hertfordshire” and represents a shared commitment to restoring nature alongside productive land use.
Peter Mitchell, head of sustainability and innovation at Gascoyne Estates and a representative for land managers on the LNRS steering group, said it had been a privilege to help shape the plan.
Farmers and landowners are “motivated to deliver for nature,” he said, adding that ensuring the strategy “works for land managers is key to achieving impact and scale.”
Laura Burrows, chief executive of Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust, said the launch marks a major opportunity to restore vulnerable habitats while working hand in hand with those who manage the land daily.
By uniting farmers, landowners, conservation groups and communities behind one plan, she said, Hertfordshire has a clear opportunity to create a “greener, healthier and more resilient” countryside where farming and wildlife can thrive together.
