Prospectus
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Landscapes For Living Prospectus
The Prospectus argues the economic and social case for landscape scale conservation with a strong emphasis being put on the benefits of a high quality natural environment in supporting economic growth and investment. Its focus is the whole West Midlands region.
“For too long the natural environment has been regarded as something apart from people and their living, working lives,” said Mike Kinghan, Chair of the West Midlands Biodiversity Partnership. “We aim to put it back where it belongs – as fundamental to our health, well being and prosperity. We must all work with nature to secure a healthy, sustainable future for ourselves and our children.”
The Prospectus, created in consultation with organisations across the West Midlands, describes how fundamental an environment rich in wildlife is to the wellbeing of the whole population. A high quality, natural environment supports the economy by attracting employers, visitors and inward investment. At the same time, it improves our quality of life through providing cities, towns and villages with space to relax and exercise, natural cooling, water storage which helps prevent flooding and a greener, living landscape.
However climate change poses new threats with rising temperatures and different weather patterns. Some species will be unable to adapt unless we expand the areas of good quality habitat and remove barriers which prevent movement by creating a network of wildlife areas across the region.
The ‘Landscapes for Living’ Prospectus provides a long-term framework for action on rebuilding biodiversity across the many differing landscapes of the West Midlands.
To complement this vision, there are a range of case studies which illustrate how working across large landscape areas can benefit the natural environment and people and restore biodiversity.
1. Black Country Living Landscape is an inspirational new approach that aims to create accessible, natural green space and local nature reserves across the 36,000ha of the Black Country, touching the lives of the 1.1 million people who live and work there.
2. Farming Floodplains for the Future is a 3-year national pilot project looking at how the farmed landscape can be viably managed in ways that reduce flood risk – particularly for the low lying town of Stafford, home to around 55,000 people – while also enhancing the natural environment.
3. Back to Purple is a project working to conserve and restore the Stiperstones in upland Shropshire by reversing changes, such as conifer planting and intensive farming, which have resulted in loss of views and fragmentation of this dramatic landscape.
Woolhope Dome, a range of hills less than 10 miles from Hereford and its 50,000 residents, is a unique geological area with a wealth of wildlife. A pioneering project is working at a landscape level to enhance the biodiversity of the area while supporting the rural economy and improving life for local people.
To accompany the 50-year vision, the Partnership has developed a regional biodiversity map showing the areas containing where the region’s most precious biodiversity resource is currently concentrated. It is these areas which will need to be expanded and linked to provide the kind of landscape scale approach which will benefit both our people and our wildlife.
“I congratulate the West Midlands Biodiversity Partnership in articulating such an exciting vision for the region’s future which so clearly shows how the natural environment and economic growth can complement and support each other,” said Liam Byrne MP.
He continued: “Far too often, economic and environmental goals have been seen to be in conflict. However, the case studies in this fine Prospectus show very clearly that a rich natural environment can make an important contribution to attracting investment, while that investment, sensitively undertaken, can in turn help to support biodiversity”.
“I also wholeheartedly support the Biodiversity Partnership’s view that conserving and enhancing the natural environment at a landscape scale makes sense in the context of climate change – helping to store carbon, alleviate flooding and provide space for wildlife to migrate in response to changing conditions”.
“I commend this visionary Prospectus to partners across the West Midlands region.”
Rob Williams, Head of Policy and Partnerships for Natural England, West Midlands, also welcomed the launch of the Prospectus, on behalf of Natural England, saying:
“Working at a ‘landscape scale’ is essential if the region is to meet the government’s England Biodiversity Strategy aims of halting biodiversity loss and adapting our countryside to climate change. The Prospectus shows where partners can look for opportunities to join up actions that will not just benefit the environment, but grow real jobs and improve the quality of life for all West Midlanders”.
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