Land Trust Charity calls for strong leadership to deliver the government's new 25 year plan to improve the environment

The Land Trust Charity calls for strong leadership as the government announces its 25 year environment plan.

The Government’s 25 year plan to protect and enhance the environment has won the backing of national land management charity, the Land Trust.

Proposals to improve air and water quality, enhance wildlife habitats and use green spaces to improve public health and well-being were all welcomed by the Trust, mirroring the charity’s own key aims and activities.

The Trust was pleased the recommendations contained in the report A Green Future: Our 25 Year Plan to Improve the Environment recognised the many threats to the natural environment and also the social injustice of young people from deprived backgrounds having less access to green open spaces.

The Land Trust approved of key policies to make more effort to connect children with nature and to embed the environmental net gain principle into commercial developments, including housing and infrastructure projects.

But it also sounded a warning bell about the dangers of weak leadership, slipping timetables and poor delivery.

Euan Hall, chief executive of the Land Trust, said: “It’s great to see the Government taking the lead in creating a long term plan for protecting and enhancing the UK’s precious environment. It makes good economic sense and it’s also vital for public health and well-being, both physical and mental.

“We can help the Government deliver its vision particularly in the creation of new, well-designed residential communities. Bring in our expertise early and we can advise on the creation of public green space and then manage that valuable resource for the good of all the local community, delivering health, environmental and educational benefits. A recent study of 38 nations across the globe found the UK had one of the lowest physical activity rates. We want to change that.

“We welcome the creation of a new land management scheme and a new statutory body to give ‘Environment’ a voice. We hope this will be a turning point after years of under-funding. We desperately need the Government to take strong, clear steps and create targets to implement and measure improvements and progress.

“All Government departments need to play their part in creating good quality, healthy places for living and leisure, particularly in urban areas. We urge them to provide clear investment frameworks for the creation, enhancement and long term maintenance of green spaces and green infrastructure fit for the 21st century.”

A link to the 151 page report, A Green Future: Our 25 Year Plan to Improve the Environment, is here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/673203/25-year-environment-plan.pdf.