New legislation to mark the 75th anniversary of protected landscapes

We welcome this announcement as a positive step forward. The new legislation reinforces the value and potential of these special places, strengthening our ability to drive nature recovery, mitigate climate change, improve public access, and support the social and economic wellbeing of local communities.

The announcement comes just weeks after reports in the Guardian revealed a potential 12% cut to National Landscapes’ budgets. In response, we raised serious concerns highlighting how financial insecurity threatens our ability to deliver on the government’s nature recovery and climate goals. Covering 14% of England, National Landscapes urgently need increased funding to avoid losing our knowledgeable and committed staff teams and realise our true potential. Nevertheless, this renewed government commitment brings a welcome sign of hope, supporting the ambitious work of National Landscapes teams and reaffirming our critical role in building a sustainable future.

We look forward to working with our partners and the government over the coming months to contribute to and implement the new legislation at such a critical time for people and the planet.