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Members of the public are to be consulted on a draft Nature Recovery Strategy to restore, manage and protect Northern Ireland’s habitats for future generations.

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir launched a public consultation today on the draft strategy, which sets out how the department will meet international and national ambitions on biodiversity up to 2032.

Nature is in decline across the world, including Northern Ireland, where many habitats and species are under threat with 40% of the flora and fauna in our most protected sites falling short of ‘favourable condition’ standards.

Only one of 49 priority habitat types here are considered to be at favourable conservation status (fourth UK Habitats Directive Report), while one in nine (12%) of Northern Ireland species are currently threatened with extinction (State of Nature 2023).

Launching the public consultation, Minister Muir said: “Northern Ireland has some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes and precious habitats. Our society continues to exert growing pressures on the natural environment, making it imperative to adopt a collective and comprehensive approach to reverse and prevent further decline. This Strategy has been developed by my Department to provide support not only for designated sites but for the wider countryside as well.”

The Minister continued: “Nature can recover if we start recognising its value, stop doing things that harm it, and treat it with the respect it deserves. While we have a long way to go to halt and reverse current trends we can take heart from recent conservation successes, such as the breeding wader recovery project in the Antrim Hills and Lough Erne, the peatland restoration project at Mullaghcarn, and the Life-Raft project to protect native species on Rathlin Island. These initiatives demonstrate how collaboration and leadership can deliver practical action to halt and reverse the decline of nature.

“I look forward to receiving input from stakeholders and the wider public on this proposed Strategy, to help drive decisive action to on restoring and regenerating biodiversity so that future generations can live in a thriving natural environment.”

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