Nature's nightmare before Christmas

Protections for our most valued sites, like Sherwood Forest, could be weakened because of the Government's broken promises, says Erin McDaid

- By ERIN MCDAID

DESPITE it being the season of goodwill, The Wildlife Trusts are struggling to feel jolly because nature is facing up to a nightmare before Christmas as the Government breaks promise after promise.

Since taking office, we've seen a string of broken promises on everything from planning and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) to protected sites and nature-friendly farming.

Hot on the heels of the damaging Planning & Infrastructure Bill, the Government has all but abandoned its election commitment to ensure “development promotes nature recovery” with the BNG scheme which requires that homes for wildlife are delivered alongside homes for people - set to be gutted.

Worryingly, that’s not the end of the nightmare with further anti-nature policies just around the corner; including weakening of the Habitats Regulations which protect the wildlife sites of greatest significance and international importance for nature including Sherwood Forest. This threat was signalled in the Prime Minister’s recent enthusiastic response to recommendations by the Nuclear Taskforce that existing regulations should be bypassed.