The influence of the Lawton review continues and I\u2019m sure it\u2019s partly because of that simple, memorable phrase. But over the years, the mantra began to mutate. People started misquoting it as \u201c<\/span>bigger, better, more joined up<\/span><\/i>\u201d, and then \u201c<\/span>bigger, better, more connected<\/span><\/i>\u201d. The new versions spread and now appear online 25 times more than the original (4,820 versus 182).<\/span><\/p>\n I don\u2019t know the reason for this change. But I think it reflects the historical lack of ambition in the UK\u2019s conservation sector. We don\u2019t expect the word \u201cmore\u201d to be part of the solution, so move it to a place in the sentence where it causes less fuss.<\/span><\/p>\n This is changing though. The \u201cMaking Space for Nature\u201d report was a turning point in England, but many countries have come to the same conclusion. All of them recognise that nature needs more. This is why the 195 countries that have signed the Convention on Biological Diversity agreed in 2022 to increase the global coverage of conservation areas to 30% by 2030 (known as ’30 by 30′).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n At present, the official data shows 18% of the land and 8% of the sea is covered by protected and conserved areas, so meeting the 30% target will be incredibly challenging. It requires a radical shift in how we imagine, design and implement conservation areas, especially in multifunctional landscapes and seascapes, and a particular focus on developing effective and inclusive approaches.<\/span><\/p>\n These changes must be underpinned by relevant research, but we lack the capacity to supply the evidence we need. This is why we have officially launched the \u201cSharing Space for Nature\u201d initiative at the University of Kent, supported by Research England\u2019s Expanding Excellence in England (E3) fund. Through this \u00a38.3 million 5-year project based at the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), we are employing 14 new staff. This new team will work with existing DICE members to develop research and innovation work related to nature recovery, ecological networks and conservation areas, all in collaboration with our local, national and international partners.<\/span><\/p>\n Our project name \u201cSharing Space for Nature\u201d is a nod to the Lawton review, building on their ambition. It also emphasises that conservation is mostly about people and their interactions with nature, whether it\u2019s wilding projects in East Kent or community-run conservation areas in Mexico and Mozambique.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n By building on DICE\u2019s 35 years of interdisciplinary research and training, we will provide evidence and guidance to help inform progress towards the \u201830 by 30\u2019 target, producing conservation area networks that benefit both people and nature.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/dice\/files\/2024\/11\/SharingSpaceForNature_logo-1.png\"){kind=logo}
<\/a>