Decision Maker: Council

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: April 24, 2025

Purpose:

Content: Council Noted -       Globally biodiversity continues to decline, and England is now one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. -       Waltham Forest Council recognises the critical importance of nature and its vital role in supporting healthy, resilient places for the benefit of residents. It is no longer enough to just protect nature; action must be taken to halt and reverse these trends and support nature to recover. -       Residents of Waltham Forest benefit enormously from local access to natural environments as we are surrounded by Epping Forest, Lea Valley and Walthamstow Wetlands. -       Nature’s ecosystems regulate the impacts of extreme weather events such as flooding and overheating and. support food growing, benefiting people’s physical and mental wellbeing. Council Welcomed Waltham Forest Council’s strong track record in responding to the depletion of nature and prioritising nature recovery including: ·       Our Climate Action Plan requiring us to support nature recovery. One of the four themes in the Waltham Forest Climate Action Plan is ‘A Greener, More Resilient Borough’. The Action Plan focuses on tackling flood risk, encouraging active lifestyles, and reversing biodiversity loss. ·       Mission Waltham Forest regarding nature recovery as essential to achieving its aims of creating ‘safe, green neighbourhoods where everyone can thrive’, making Waltham Forest ‘a great place to live and age well’ and leading the way for a net-zero borough with a ‘more natural, green borough’. ·       Establishing Walthamstow Wetlands and boosting habitat quality in sites such as Queens Rd Cemetery, in addition to the creation of 45 new pocket parks and parklets over the last 10 years. ·       Creation of award-winning flood resilience schemes and constructed wetlands including at Chestnut Fields, Larkswood Playing Fields, Rolls and Memorial Parks, and creating, and transforming local roads into, rain gardens to capture run-off such as Forest, Brookes, Esther and Wadley Roads. ·       Funding and supporting local groups to undertake litter picks, nature reclamation and nature preservation schemes for hedgehogs and pollinators through the Wildways Project ·       Inspiring future leaders by investing in our own innovative environmental education service at The Hive, inspiring young people and adults to tackle climate change, through a deeper understanding and connection with nature. ·       Distributing over 900 free trees and 250,000 bulbs to local residents in the last year alone ·       Engagement programmes such as 'Bee Friendly Streets’ to support local residents to take local and hyper- local action   Waltham Forest Council needs to do more and with nearly 25% of Waltham Forest occupied as front and rear gardens, we need to encourage and support our residents to do more to address the Nature Emergency.    Council Resolved Declare a Nature Emergency and redouble our efforts to secure resident support in achieving more ‘nature positive outcomes’ across every Ward in Waltham Forest Call to action – convene residents and local partners to accelerate collective action: The Council will host public webinars and signpost our residents to guidance to encourage local and hyper-local nature positive actions. The Council will convene with external partners including City of London Corporation, Walthamstow Wetlands, Lea Valley Park and those involved in nature recovery as part of the ‘Waltham Forest Nature Recovery Expert Panel’. The Panel will advise and support the Council and residents on habitat development and the species to prioritise for targeted recovery actions. Reactivate the Waltham Forest Climate Residents Panel with a key focus on the Nature Emergency. Mainstream nature recovery considerations in Council decision making by: Undertake a Local Nature Recovery Plan ensuring positive action on nature enhancements is underpinned by a robust evidence base. Review Council landholdings, including Housing and Highways land, for opportunities for more habitat creation and restoration. Seek funding to accelerate these work areas, including workstreams to improve the nature recovery interventions within close proximity to residents’ homes. Embed Nature Recovery as a strategic priority in planning and design guidelines for new developments: Well planned, inclusive growth in Waltham Forest will enhance greening and address the nature emergency. We will embed the GLA’s London-wide Local Nature Recovery Strategy priorities in a new Waltham Forest Local Nature Recovery Plan, ensuring positive action on nature enhancements is underpinned by a robust evidence base. Through other planning tools like masterplans, planning briefs, design codes, and Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) we will encourage and guide developers and residents to incorporate measures like:                                                i.     Boundary permeability for wildlife corridors                                               ii.     Natural water sources for wildlife                                             iii.     Artificial habitat creation (bird, bat and insect boxes)  The emerging Green and Blue Spaces SPD will provide an overarching framework and vision to support the implementation of a well-connected, safe and accessible network of nature rich green spaces across the borough. We will continue to apply the Urban Greening Factor to ensure nature and landscape are integral to new developments and take a proactive approach to ensuring this is delivered. We will continue to implement Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements.   Nature recovery cannot be achieved alone. The Council calls on our residents, communities and partners to come together to take action in securing and embedding ‘nature recovery’ as a cornerstone for a sustainable future for all.