The Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership Board met to discuss a variety of issues, including the Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership Team Update, an update on the Local Nature Recovery Strategy and options for its delivery.

Local Nature Recovery Strategy

The Board were scheduled to receive a verbal update on the progress of the creation of the Oxfordshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS). The LNRS, once adopted, will set out the ambitions and plan for nature's recovery in Oxfordshire.

The Board were also scheduled to consider a report on planning for the delivery of the LNRS, which would include a discussion of resourcing. The report, prepared by Matt Whitney, the Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership Manager, identified four key areas for focus: planning, farming, communities, and investment. The report noted that:

Currently, Local Plans must ‘have regard for’ LNRS, which OLNP considers is extremely unlikely to result in significantly different outcomes.

Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership Team Update

The Board were scheduled to receive an update from the Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership on the team's work over the previous quarter. The team were scheduled to report on a number of different projects including the following:

• A roundtable discussion exploring the use of biochar to support nature recovery.
• A workshop to explore the development of a greenspace quality metric, which would help improve nature connection opportunities in local parks.
• A £1million funding application to the Nature Towns and Cities Fund to support the creation of a network of nature towns and cities across England. The project would focus on the development of the greenspace quality metric, a network of greenspace stewards, and the exploration of novel funding sources.
• An update on the development of the Oxfordshire Nature Catalyst Investment Facility (ONCIF), a revolving investment fund for nature projects.
• Engagement with a number of national policy initiatives, including work with DEFRA on the role of Local Nature Partnerships in delivering LNRS, the creation of an All Party Parliamentary Group for Local Nature Recovery, and a response to the consultation on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework.

Projects funding platform

The Board were scheduled to discuss a proposal for a new funding platform to help showcase projects that could help deliver the aims of the LNRS. The Board were scheduled to be asked to comment on the proposals.

Minutes of the previous meeting

The board were scheduled to consider the minutes of the previous meeting of the Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership Board which was held on 18 September 2024 at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock.