About

Protect and improve the county’s unique natural environment through a shared vision and strategy for the county

Embed the intrinsic value of Somerset’s natural environment into cultural, political and economic agendas

Show leadership in bringing sectors and people together to realise economic, social, health and environmental benefits from an improved, coherent and resilient ecological network for Somerset

Communicate and improve the economic, social and health benefits that the natural environment brings for everyone who lives, works or visits Somerset

Create natural solutions to climate change identifying carbon sequestration opportunities (respond to emissions in the air)

The role of the Somerset Local Nature Partnership is to:

Somerset Local Nature Partnership is a broad multi-sector coalition representing different economic, social, political and environmental interests from across the county all committed to the aims of the LNP.

The structure consists of:

The LNP Board: provides strategic leadership to improve and protect the natural environment of Somerset, reflecting the views of the wider Forum and the technical guidance of Somerset Nature Officers Group. The Board is made up of cross-sector high level strategic leaders and advocates.

Georgia Stokes - Chair - Somerset Wildlife Trust

Cllr Dixie Darch - Vice Chair - Somerset Council

Chris Fayers - Vice Chair - EDF

Kate Anderson - Somerset Public Health

Andrew Cockcroft - Hinkley Point C/EDF

Ross Edwards - Environment Agency

Anthony Gibson - Somerset Catchment Partnership

Claire Gibson - University of Plymouth

Jenny Hannis - SPARK

Dave Jones - Wessex Water

Adam Lockyear - FWAG SW

Cllr Mike Stanton - Somerset Rivers Authority

Claire Newill - Natural England

Paul Lowndes - Gravity

Hattie Severinsen - NFU

John Turner - Visit Somerset

National Landscape/National Park - by rotation

Jim Hardcastle, Mendip Hills NL; Sarah Bryan, Exmoor NP; Tim Youngs, Blackdown Hills NL, Iain Porter, Quantock Hills NL

RSPB/National Trust/Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) - by rotation

Ellie Jones, WWT; Simon Stennett, RSPB; Simon Larkins National Trust

Steve Mewes - Coordinator

Peatland Partnership: brings together those that make a living from peat, farms on peat, conserves and restores peat or manages peat lands in Somerset and North Somerset whether on Exmoor or the Levels and Moors with the aims of

- retaining the peat that remains

- preserving the remaining peat safely

- restoring the peat wherever possible

The LNP Forum: the wider partnership of environmental organisations, community groups, businesses, educational institutions and others committed to the aims of the LNP to protect and improve the natural environment of Somerset for the benefit of people, businesses and wildlife.

Task and Finish Groups: Established as required by the Board to drive forwards priority initiatives. There are groups on the Green Finance Somerset, Nature and Wellbeing, Food and Farming and the Nature Recovery Network/LNRS.

The LNP is funded by kind donations from Somerset Council and Wessex Water