Expert advisory groups
After a successful steering group meeting in July, we have set up expert advisory groups focused on the following areas:
- nature, farming, forestry and land-use
- mapping and data
- communications and engagement
Our expert advisory groups will use their skills, experience and knowledge to identify the best ways to reach and gather contributions from a much wider range of people.
We will be asking them to explore technical questions like:
- what characteristics or classifications might be useful when describing biodiversity and habitats in Dorset
- what are the strengths and weaknesses of different habitat mapping methodologies
- where are local people already sharing their ideas and taking action – can we join up, share results, and avoid duplication
- how can maps be used to help us agree where and how we will take action to help recover nature in Dorset
Their answers will help us find the best methods and times to ask local people and organisations to propose priorities for nature’s recovery, and locations where action could be taken to achieve those priorities.
Everyone in Dorset can have a say
If you are not on one of these groups, we still want to hear from you. The expert groups will not be deciding strategy content in isolation.
We will be sharing more ways to get involved soon, but in the meantime please contact us if you’d like to tell us about a specific area of interest, skills or experience you’d like to contribute to the local nature recovery strategy.
Our next priority is to create a communications and engagement plan, ensuring we are clear on:
- how we’ll give people across Dorset a chance to get involved
- how we’ll use your contributions to inform Dorset's local nature recovery strategy
In the meantime, we’re enjoying connecting with local people and groups interested in working together to recover nature in Dorset. We’re keeping a list of local projects and initiatives, ready to consider how these might feed into the strategy.
Upcoming events and meetings
We look forward to seeing some of you at:
- Dorset COP, 9th September, organised by Dorset CAN, Sustainable Dorset, and Zero Carbon Dorset – we’re joining the Nature Recovery Panel.
- Dorset Coast Forum’s Annual Conference, 27th September – we’re hosting a workshop on the opportunities for extending Dorset local nature recovery strategy to include the marine environment.
We’ve also got some meetings with other authorities working on local nature recovery strategies to consider questions like:
- how can large nature recovery projects that span across multiple counties be included in multiple local nature recovery strategies
- what are the opportunities to ensure mapping methodologies are consistent between different counties
- how many coastal counties are thinking about including marine areas in their local nature recovery strategies, even though this goes beyond the statutory requirements
Please tell your contacts, colleagues, and networks about the Dorset local nature recovery strategy by sharing this update. The more people involved, the greater the success for people and nature.
Contact us if you have:
- a question, comment, or suggestion for us
- any projects, plans, strategies, or data sets that you think we should know about
- any photos or videos of nature recovery that you’d be happy for us to use
You can sign up to our ‘Dorset Council News’ e-newsletter to keep up to date with the progress we’re making to make nature bigger, better and more joined up in Dorset.
Photo credit Susan Buckland ‘Black-tailed Godwitt at Lodmoor’