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A Local Nature Recovery Strategy for West Yorkshire

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Landscape photo - view over Ilkley


West Yorkshire has a powerful story to tell

The heavy industries of coalmining, textiles and manufacturing that once shaped our economy left a lasting impact on our landscape.

As we work towards becoming a net zero carbon economy by 2038, we can use the legacy of our industrial past to propel our green revolution, attracting new investment and jobs to create clean, healthy and nature-rich places for all.

The Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, has pledged to tackle the climate and environment emergency. Restoring nature, biodiversity and wildlife habitats is at the heart of that ambition.

We will build a sustainable, nature-rich and climate-ready region that supports businesses and seizes the opportunities of a carbon-free economy, building resilience to the environmental challenges of the future.

Together, we will celebrate, protect and invest in nature, enhancing our rural and urban green spaces, parks, rivers, canals, valleys and moorland and shape the next chapter of our unique West Yorkshire story.


Map of West YorkshireHow you can help

The West Yorkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy will describe and map nature in our region, set out priorities and opportunities for nature and wider environmental benefits at a local level.

The strategy will be shaped by organisations, groups and individuals, working closely with an abundance of partners and other stakeholders. This will help us all to understand what we can do together to help nature to flourish in West Yorkshire.

We'll share ways you can get involved on this page, as the strategy is developed.


Our survey for farmers, landowners or land managers in West Yorkshire with more than 5 hectares of land is now closed.

Thank you to all who took part - your knowledge and experience will help to create local strategy and tools to shape the future of land-use in the region. You can hear about the results in this webinar recording and read the report here.


Our winter farm walk happened on 8th February 2024 which explored current and future environmental land management practices in farming.

Share what you are doing already

Inspire us! If you’ve got stories, photos or case studies about supporting nature, wildlife and biodiversity, we’d love to hear what you’ve been up to.

If you'd like to share something, or sign up for updates, please email naturerecovery@westyorks-ca.gov.uk.

You can read our latest newsletter update here.


Photo of two people carrying out recent tree planting in West Yorkshire


If you have any questions or comments, please get in touch: 

Landscape photo - view over Ilkley


West Yorkshire has a powerful story to tell

The heavy industries of coalmining, textiles and manufacturing that once shaped our economy left a lasting impact on our landscape.

As we work towards becoming a net zero carbon economy by 2038, we can use the legacy of our industrial past to propel our green revolution, attracting new investment and jobs to create clean, healthy and nature-rich places for all.

The Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, has pledged to tackle the climate and environment emergency. Restoring nature, biodiversity and wildlife habitats is at the heart of that ambition.

We will build a sustainable, nature-rich and climate-ready region that supports businesses and seizes the opportunities of a carbon-free economy, building resilience to the environmental challenges of the future.

Together, we will celebrate, protect and invest in nature, enhancing our rural and urban green spaces, parks, rivers, canals, valleys and moorland and shape the next chapter of our unique West Yorkshire story.


Map of West YorkshireHow you can help

The West Yorkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy will describe and map nature in our region, set out priorities and opportunities for nature and wider environmental benefits at a local level.

The strategy will be shaped by organisations, groups and individuals, working closely with an abundance of partners and other stakeholders. This will help us all to understand what we can do together to help nature to flourish in West Yorkshire.

We'll share ways you can get involved on this page, as the strategy is developed.


Our survey for farmers, landowners or land managers in West Yorkshire with more than 5 hectares of land is now closed.

Thank you to all who took part - your knowledge and experience will help to create local strategy and tools to shape the future of land-use in the region. You can hear about the results in this webinar recording and read the report here.


Our winter farm walk happened on 8th February 2024 which explored current and future environmental land management practices in farming.

Share what you are doing already

Inspire us! If you’ve got stories, photos or case studies about supporting nature, wildlife and biodiversity, we’d love to hear what you’ve been up to.

If you'd like to share something, or sign up for updates, please email naturerecovery@westyorks-ca.gov.uk.

You can read our latest newsletter update here.


Photo of two people carrying out recent tree planting in West Yorkshire


If you have any questions or comments, please get in touch: 

Q&A

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  • Share What time s Nature Recovery doing to protect green belt labd/ virgin agricultural land from development?these areas are nature rich and our green spaces are an ever depleting asset . Once gone, never recovered. on Facebook Share What time s Nature Recovery doing to protect green belt labd/ virgin agricultural land from development?these areas are nature rich and our green spaces are an ever depleting asset . Once gone, never recovered. on Twitter Share What time s Nature Recovery doing to protect green belt labd/ virgin agricultural land from development?these areas are nature rich and our green spaces are an ever depleting asset . Once gone, never recovered. on Linkedin Email What time s Nature Recovery doing to protect green belt labd/ virgin agricultural land from development?these areas are nature rich and our green spaces are an ever depleting asset . Once gone, never recovered. link

    What time s Nature Recovery doing to protect green belt labd/ virgin agricultural land from development?these areas are nature rich and our green spaces are an ever depleting asset . Once gone, never recovered.

    Alison 62 asked 9 months ago

    There are local and national planning policies in place (Local Authority Local Plans and the National Planning Policy Framework respectively) that include strong protections for the Green Belt and high-quality agricultural land. Development is permitted only in exceptional circumstances. The statutory guidance for Local Nature Recovery Strategies says, “If a responsible authority has Green Belt in their area, they should actively seek to target areas that could become of particular importance inside the Green Belt. This supports the government’s intention for Green Belts to provide multiple benefits, including nature recovery and increased public access to nature.”

Page last updated: 12 Apr 2024, 05:49 PM