New Research Reveals Only 12 per cent of Local Authorities Have a Nature Recovery Action Plan

Published on: 13 Mar, 2025
Updated on: 13 Mar, 2025

By Stella Kuchanny

The Woodland Trust has launched a Nature Emergency Scorecard revealing that only 12 per cent of local councils across the UK have an action plan to address severe declines in wildlife and green spaces.

The charity is now urging all local authorities, including those in Surrey, to declare a nature emergency and take urgent steps to restore natural habitats.

According to the Trust, British wildlife species have declined by an average of 19 per cent since 1970, with nearly one in six at risk of extinction. Despite these alarming figures, only 25 percent of local councils have formally declared a nature emergency.

Louise Wilkinson, the Woodland Trust’s nature recovery lead, emphasised the critical role councils play in reversing the trend: “Local authorities – as landowners, policy-makers, and local champions – have a unique role in driving the change that nature urgently needs. Many are not doing enough, and a nature emergency declaration is a vital first step in acknowledging the challenge and turning it into nature recovery on the ground.

“By putting nature on an emergency footing, councils can take meaningful steps to reverse decades of decline and create healthier, greener communities for people and wildlife alike.”

The Woodland Trust is encouraging councils to take practical, cost-effective steps to restore natural habitats. These include:

• Identifying land for habitat restoration and tree planting
• Allowing wildflowers and grass to grow in public spaces, which costs nothing but provides essential support for struggling wildlife
• Requiring developers to plant trees and commit to at least 30 percent tree canopy cover on new housing estates

The Trust highlights the link between tree cover and public health, with research showing that higher levels of tree cover improve air quality and well-being.

Lessons from Doncaster

One example of a council that has declared a nature emergency and developed a recovery plan is Doncaster Council. Mayor Ros Jones shared progress on their ambitious Million Tree Challenge, which aims to increase tree cover from 13 percent to 17 percent over a decade.

“In 2021, I committed to seeing a million trees planted across Doncaster over a ten-year period. So far, a grand total of 339,795 trees and over 247,000 tree seeds have been planted across the City of Doncaster. We’re improving our green spaces and creating woodlands and treescapes for current and future generations.”

With the South East home to some of the UK’s most threatened natural habitats, the Trust’s campaign is particularly relevant for Surrey’s councils, including Guildford Borough Council. While Surrey boasts extensive green spaces, pressures from urban development and infrastructure projects continue to threaten the region’s biodiversity.

Residents can check how their local authority is performing on nature recovery efforts by visiting www.natureemergency.com.

What Can Residents Do?

The Woodland Trust is also calling on the public to act by contacting their local council leader through an online action tool, urging them to declare a nature emergency and implement meaningful recovery strategies.

Andy Egan, the Trust’s Head of Conservation Policy, stressed the need for urgent action:

“The nature crisis is every bit as critical as the climate crisis. We have seen the benefits of local authorities declaring climate emergencies and taking climate action, which is why we are calling on all local authorities to join the 100 trailblazers who have already done so and to make their own nature emergency declaration.”

The UK Government has committed to protecting 30 per cent of England’s land and sea for nature by 2030, but local action will be essential in achieving this goal. The Woodland Trust’s website offers resources and case studies to help councils take the necessary steps.