MONMOUTHSHIRE County Council’s Cabinet has approved two landmark strategies, the Local Nature Recovery Action Plan (NRAP) and the Green Infrastructure (GI) Strategy.
These strategies form part of the nature recovery pillar for the council’s Climate and Nature Emergency response, aiming to reverse biodiversity decline, enhance ecosystem resilience and promote sustainable land use across the county.
Monmouthshire’s Nature Recovery Action Plan (NRAP) is a simple guide to help protect and restore nature in Monmouthshire. Encouraging people and communities to get involved and take action—so together, everyone can care for nature and help it thrive.
The local NRAP takes the big ideas from the national and regional plans and turns them into simple, local actions. These are things that can be done within local communities and local nature sites to help nature recover.
The Green Infrastructure Strategy sets out the council’s approach to enhancing biodiversity and increasing ecosystem resilience through Green Infrastructure. It also outlines the council’s approach to improving health and wellbeing outcomes, as well as implementing climate action through large-scale projects and partnerships.
The development of these strategies was guided by extensive public consultation. This included a campaign which launched at the Usk Show in the autumn of 2024. The council is grateful to residents, businesses, community groups and stakeholders who shared their views on the climate and nature emergency and how the council can support local action.
Cllr Catrin Maby, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and the Environment, said: “The process we followed to develop these strategies highlighted the importance of collective action in addressing the climate emergency.
“The council will now begin implementing the strategies, developing detailed action plans, and collaborating with partners such as the Gwent Green Grid Partnership, Living Levels Partnership, and Wye Valley National Landscape.”
For more information regarding the NRAP, please visit MonLife’s Nature Recovery Action Plan webpage, and for the GI Strategy, please visit MonLife’s Green Infrastructure Strategy webpage.
Want to get involved in local nature and green space projects?
Check out the latest initiatives on the council’s website and how you can take part by clicking here.
Got questions or ideas? Email the council at [email protected]
This year, Monmouthshire County Council will celebrate Wales Nature Week from tomorrow (July 5) to July 13, with a range of events taking place throughout the county. On July 3, a talk about swifts was held in Monmouth. Tomorrow (July 5), the Gwent Green Grid will take the BioTapestry to the Alfred Russel Wallace Day, which is being organised by the Usk Civic Society. Additionally, an Insect Safari, hosted by the River Gavenny, will take place in Abergavenny on June 9.
