What will Local Nature Partnerships be?

Just what are Local Nature Partnerships (LNP) and what does the Environment Minister expect them to do?

Last week was the first workshop to establish the terms of reference for an LNP in Berkshire. The workshop was the first of three focussing on different issues. The participants at this first meeting were local authority ecologists, representatives from the major conservation NGOs and the local records office. A great bunch of people although perhaps jaded by successive government initiatives that have fallen by the wayside..!

But there is hope. My only advice to them was to be ambitious, think big, and concentrate on how to influence others. The younger members of the group were clearly up for change but the older members? Well we shall see.

Every leader in business says you must have a vision and focus on how you can deliver that vision. That becomes the strategy. The strategy becomes the tasks you need to do. The tasks soon get ticked off as you complete them and make progress.

Anything is possible: change can happen, people can be influenced.

LNPs need a vision. They need to be seen as an opportunity for change and to raise the profile of the natural world within local politics.

I noticed that there weren't too many gongs in the honours list for 'services to conservation'. Now is the time for conservationists to step up and create an agenda for LNPs that make everyone pay attention and take action.

Good luck to anyone that is involved with creating an LNP over the next few months, I can't wait to see what you all come up with.