Agenda item

To consider a report to the Future Oxfordshire Partnership presenting the annual report of the Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership the Oxfordshire Nature Finance Strategy.

The Panel considered a report to the Future Oxfordshire Partnership which gave an overview of the activities of the Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership since its establishment and a proposed Oxfordshire Nature Finance Strategy which the Partnership had been recommended to endorse. Matt Whitney, Oxfordshire Local Partnership Manager introduced the report and gave a short presentation which highlighted key areas of the proposed Nature Strategy.

In summary, the following points and suggestions were made by members of the Panel in its discussion of the report and proposed strategy.

·           There was a need to project forward 20-30 years to consider the adaptions required to mitigate climate change, for example provision of shade and water retention measures to reduce the impact of wildfires. Areas for wildlife also needed to be mapped and set aside.

·           There was a need to preserve corridors for nature rather than relying on bio-diversity net gain schemes from housing developments which were insufficient and of poor quality. Checks needed to be in place to ensure the quality of bio-diversity net gain and carbon offsetting schemes.

·           As more nature recovery projects came online there was a need to learn from previous projects and unintended consequences. For example, the reintroduction of Red Kites had been so successful that numbers had now grown to the point that insufficient naturally occurring food was available, leading to negative behaviours such as the predation of ducklings.

·           With regard to the ‘Our Vison’ segment of the proposed Nature Finance Strategy it was suggested that there be overt reference to the benefits of communities’ land as well ‘health, water and the environment’ as this was significant natural asset providing eco-systems services.

·           The Convention on Biological Diversity of which the UK was a signatory had a global gender action plan associated with it. It was suggested that gender lens investing was a growth area within the innovation financing space that could be linked into the Nature Strategy along with the global action plan framework.

In response, the Panel was informed that many of the points made relating to mapping and species reintroduction related to elements of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, (LNRS) and that this strategy document produced by Oxfordshire County Council would set out a vision for nature recovery across the county. The object of the Nature Finance Strategy was to contribute towards the funding required to deliver LNRS objectives. Spatial prioritisation would be key to ensuring off site bio-diversity net gain and off site carbon schemes were correctly located where it was needed.

With regard to bio-diversity net gain (BNP), the Nature Partnership had a subgroup which had developed a set of best practice guidelines it was hoped local planning authorities would adopt.

RESOLVED:

1.     The Panel strongly supported the recommendations to the Future Oxfordshire Partnership as set out in the report including the endorsement by the FOP of the Nature Finance Strategy.

2.     That the detailed comments and suggestions made by the Panel relating to matters within the remit of the vision of the Nature Finance strategy and the Local Nature Recovery Strategy be fed back and taken into account in the development of both strategies.