Outstanding Landscapes, Outstanding Beauty was the theme of the 2019 Landscapes for Life Conference, co-hosted by Dedham Vale and Suffolk Coast & Heaths with the National Associaiton for AONBs. There was a record number (around 140 people) of attendees from across the country, plus a great turn out from our Suffolk and Essex partners and colleagues. Short filmed summaries of each speaker can be seen on the Landscapes for Life website.

The Secretary of State for the Environment, Michael Gove, addressed around 140 delegates at the annual Landscapes for Life conference co-hosted by the local Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) team held at the University of Essex, Colchester.

In his recorded presentation, he welcomes the development of the ‘Colchester Declaration’. Set against a backdrop of unprecedented concern for the future of the natural world, and intergovernmental reports that the current global response to the effects of human impact on nature is insufficient, the AONB network believes that now is the time to significantly increase the scale and pace of our delivery to address these issues.

Using the unique network and partnership model, the AONB network will make a collective Declaration on Nature in AONBs, setting out a strategy for change. This pledge includes the following and the draft version can be seen here:

• To create opportunities within AONBs for people to make an emotional connection with nature. 
• To prepare a nature recovery plan for each AONB. 
• That at least 200,000 hectares of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in AONBs will be in favourable condition by 2030. 
• That each AONB adopts a species on the threatened list and prepare and deliver a species action plan.

The AONB network has called on the Government to provide the power and resources to ensure that the aspirations outlined in the Colchester Declaration can be met.

See the Full Conference programme.
Better quality of the visual summary (image above) of the conference is available on request.

Simon Amstutz, AONB Manager (16/7/19)

By Cathy Smith on July 16th, 2019