Add your land to the High Opportunity Nature Areas map which forms part of the Dorset local nature recovery strategy

Attract funding 

This High Opportunity Nature Area map will be one of the tools used to guide the allocation of a range of public, private and voluntary sector funding. For example:  

• Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMs)  

• Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) – strategic significance multiplier  

• environment mitigation funds (nutrient, recreation and air quality)  

• emerging ecosystem markets / green finance 

Promote your contribution 

• promote what you are doing for nature recovery, or your ambition to do something, to more people. This can lead to reputational and financial benefits  

• share learning to inform and motivate others to take action  

• help show how Dorset is contributing to the 30by30 target, to protect 30% of the UK’s land as nature-rich areas by 2030  

Connect with others 

• help bring together everyone’s efforts across the county onto 1 map 

• see how your activities or proposals sit alongside other things happening across the wider landscape 

• consider joining up with your neighbours/others to deliver activities in partnership  

Choose how you use it   

• submit what nature recovery activities you want to do, or get ideas to help you plan what might be suitable on your land  

• share any maps you’ve already got or get help to map your area  

There is no obligation  

• statutory guidance states that “the strategies do not force the owners and managers of the land identified to make any changes” 

• maps should show activity that is likely to be delivered in the next 10 years, but land managers/owners maintain flexibility to identify what activities and funding options will work best for you  

• maps act as a guide, not a prescription, and will not replace your own management plans and decisions  

• the strategy is for everyone in Dorset, it is not the council’s strategy, the council are simply facilitating the preparation process  

There are no new restrictions  

• High Opportunity Nature Areas is not a designation 

• designation processes are separate to the local nature recovery strategy work  

• nature recovery is about increasing nature-richness across the whole county, not just small pockets of protected sites 

• the strategy will identify where there is opportunity to manage land in ways that enhance biodiversity long-term. This includes nature recovery done as part of sustainable farming and development  

There are no new access rights 

• High Opportunity Nature Areas will not give any new access to land  

• the map will include clear explanation that it does not show places for public access and recreation.  

• access will continue to require landowner permission, except for existing access rights (such as rights of way or open access land) or sites that wish to be shown as open to visitors  

• public access can be promoted where possible, but not in places where it conflicts with business operations or the protection of wildlife 

There is a choice on map display 

There will be options to discuss any concerns around data sensitivity and exactly how your area appears on the map, such as: 

• blurring boundaries of a site  

• including a link to your website  

• visual differences in how sites that promote access are displayed