Buglife has joined Plantlife and 41 other organisations to call on the UK Government to prioritise grasslands and commit to developing a Grassland Action Plan for England.
From mountain pastures to floodplain meadows, grasslands cover more than 40% of land in the UK.
They are a huge natural asset; vital for nature and people to thrive, for food production, and to combat climate change.
Read the full letter below.
Dear Secretary of State,
It’s time to fill the grassland gap.
Protecting, restoring and managing grasslands is crucial to tackling the climate and biodiversity emergencies, whilst producing food.
However, the untapped potential of grasslands continues to be overlooked by government. We welcome your commitment to developing a Land Use Framework for England; this is a crucial opportunity to maximise the co-benefits of nature-rich grasslands, which play a vital role in producing sustainable food, sequestering carbon, cleaning our air and water, supporting wildlife, building a circular economy, providing accessible greenspace, and benefiting health.
From urban green spaces to upland pastures, grasslands are the largest land use category in England, covering at least 40% of land, yet there is no dedicated resource within DEFRA working specifically on them. Unlike trees and peatland, there is no equivalent Action Plan or Taskforce for grasslands that can leverage opportunities such as private finance mechanisms for species recovery and habitat management, restoration and creation.
We need a new approach.
We are calling on UK Government to establish a cross-departmental Grassland Taskforce, in order to build a strategic programme of evidence and policy development that maximises the contribution of grasslands to the Government’s policies, such as the Land Use Framework and 25-year farming roadmap, as well as targets on biodiversity, net zero, food, land use, a circular economy, and health and wellbeing.
Unlocking grasslands’ economic and environmental value will bring huge benefits for farmers, local authorities, national agencies, and local communities across England.
We must act now to fill the grassland gap; a Grassland Taskforce would start the process of realising the potential of this national asset.
Due to the cross-departmental relevance of this issue, this letter is copied to other relevant Secretaries of State and Ministers.
Yours Sincerely,
Nicola Hutchinson Deputy Chief Executive/Director of Conservation, Plantlife
Becky Willson, Technical Director, Farm CarbonToolkit
Caroline Hanks, Director, Herefordshire Meadows
Christopher Price, Chief Executive Officer, Rare Breeds Survival Trust
Emily Linton, Farming Futures, Food, Farming and Countryside Commission
Glen Tarman, Director of Policy and Advocacy, Sustain: The Alliance for Better Food and Farming
Jimmy Woodrow, Chief Executive, Pasture for Life
Professor Maggie Gill, Chair, Stapledon Memorial Trust
Maggie Mitchell, Chief Executive, British Society of Animal Science
Martin Lines, Chief Executive Officer, Nature Friendly Farming Network
Tom Goatman, Chief Executive Officer, British Grassland Society
Craig Llewellyn, Associate Ecologist, Atkins
Professor Dave Goulson, Professor of Biology, University of Sussex, Author
Professor David Gowing, Director, Floodplain Meadows Partnership
Professor James Bullock, Senior Researcher, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Tom Wild, School of Architecture & Landscape, University of Sheffield
Ellen Bradley, Co-Director, UK Youth for Nature
Flo Blackbourn, General Manager, Curlew Action
Gareth Morgan, Head of Farming Policy, Soil Association
Gill Perkins, Chief Executive, Bumblebee Conservation Trust
Kate Ashbrook, General Secretary, Open Spaces Society
Kevin Newell, Founder, Humane Wildlife Solutions
Mary Colwell, Director, Curlew Action & Chair, Curlew Recovery Partnership
Mike Hill, Chief Executive, Friends of the Lake District
Nick Mann, Founder, Habitat Aid
Nida Al-Fulaij, Chief Executive Officer, People’s Trust For Endangered Species
Polly Martin, Chief Executive, National Trails UK
Rachel Richards, B-Lines Officer, Buglife
Russel Hobson, Director of Business and Research, Butterfly Conservation
Ryan Burrell, Director, Curlew Recovery Partnership
Sasha Woods, Director of Science and Policy, Earthwatch Europe
Andrew Blake, Wye Valley National Landscape Manager & Chair, Wye Valley National Landscape Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) Local Assessment Panel
Chris Woodley-Stewart, Director, North Pennines National Landscape
Henry Oliver, Director, North Wessex Downs National Landscape Partnership
Iain Mann, Manager, Nidderdale National Landscape
Jason Lavender, Director, High Weald National Landscape Partnership
John Watkins, Chief Executive, National Landscapes Association
Linda Nunn, Director, Cranborne Chase National Landscape
Rebecca Waite, Chief Executive, Cotswolds National Landscape
Richard Benwell, Chair, Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership
Richard Grogan, Manager, Isle of Wight National Landscape Partnership
Roger English, Manager, South Devon National Landscape
Dr Rose O’Neill, Chief Executive, Campaign for National Parks
Tom Munro, Director, Dorset National Landscape Partnership
