Last year Natural England released a call for the country’s top experts in land management and ecology to apply to join a new panel that would advise the public body in driving transformative change across the countryside. The newly formed Natural England Landscape Advisory Panel (NELAP) convened for the first time yesterday, and I am delighted that Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s very own Jo Smith has been chosen as one of the panellists. 

This panel has been formed to advise Natural England as it embarks upon an ambitious programme for designated landscapes. This includes consideration of two new Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs), identification of areas suitable for any future designation as national parks, and supporting AONBs and national park authorities to prioritise nature. 

Recently, the Government released their response to the protected landscapes review (Glover Review), which was commissioned to evaluate national parks and AONBs. In their response, the Government accepted the Review’s conclusion that the current system of protected and designated areas has failed to slow the alarming rate of biodiversity loss and habitat destruction in the UK. Accordingly, the Government set out a much stronger role for Natural England to support and hold these landscapes to account in restoring nature within their boundaries. 

NELAP is comprised of a strong group of independent experts that will advise Natural England as it works to meet these expanded responsibilities. I am thrilled to see Jo selected as a panel member but ultimately not surprised, She represented England’s 47 Wildlife Trusts in engaging with the protected landscapes review over several years, and has significant experience in engaging national parks. In her role as Chief Executive of Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, she has also led the creation of Britain’s largest urban rewilding project at Allestree Park in Derby, and reintroduced beavers into the Trent valley, very different landscapes to the rural and scarcely populated national parks. 

NELAP is supported from the very top of Natural England with the organisation’s Chair Tony Juniper affirming that the panel will ‘provide real challenge, insight and advice as we take this important (landscapes) work forward’. As part of this group, Jo will provide Natural England’s Board with a standing expert group that supports, advises, and challenges where needed. It’s great to see that Derbyshire Wildlife Trust is increasingly recognised as a trusted advisor for policy makers and we look forward to supporting Natural England through this exciting time of landscape reformation.