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Natural England




The new agency's aim will be to conserve and enhance England’s landscape and wildlife and encourage people to enjoy and gain benefit from it. It will be responsible for the delivery of some aspects of the Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs Public Service Agreements (e.g. reversing the long-term decline in the number of farmland birds by 2020 and improving public access to the countryside).

Natural England will be a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) and therefore in theory independent of Government. However, the Secretary Of State For Environment, Food & Rural Affairs will have the legal power to issue guidance to Natural England on various matters, a constraint that is not placed on its predecessor NDPBs.

Natural England will have a role in rural, urban and marine environments. Its general purpose will be to ensure that the natural environment is conserved, enhanced and managed for the benefit of present and future generations, thereby contributing to sustainable development.

Natural England's functions will include:

  • promoting nature conservation and protecting biodiversity;

  • conserving and enhancing the English landscape;

  • securing the provision and improvement of facilities for the study, understanding and enjoyment of nature;

  • promoting access to the countryside and open spaces and encouraging open-air recreation; and

  • contributing in other ways to social and economic well-being through management of the natural environment.


It will receive the powers of the existing bodies e.g. awarding grants; giving advice and information; designating National Park s, Areas Of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Sites Of Special Scientific Interest ; managing National Nature Reserves s; overseeing access to open country and other recreation rights; and enforcing the associated regulations.


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