By Poppy O'Riordan
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21 May, 2024
COMPILATION AND REVIEW OF EVIDENCE LEADING TO SANG AND SAMM PROVISION Natural England has published a report which provides a review of methods and evidence published about recreational impacts on European protected sites and the solutions for their mitigation. This report was produced by the team at Lepus Consulting who worked closely with Natural England to deliver this study. Development, and specifically housing growth, has the potential to increase public recreation and disturbance pressures at some of the most ecologically sensitive sites across the country. European and Ramsar sites are designated for a number of qualifying habitats and species of international importance and are particularly vulnerable to recreational pressure. Currently, the impacts of these pressures are addressed at European designated sites through the adoption of mitigating actions referred to as strategic solutions. The aim is to divert recreational pressure to an alternative location by providing Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) and/or to address recreational impacts on site through the adoption of Strategic Access Management and Monitoring (SAMM) measures. SANG and SAMM often work in parallel with one another. The study reviews 16 Local Planning Authority case studies, to produce a series of recommendations designed to ensure a process of best practice is followed for identifying, designing, and securing recreational mitigation. These include: maintenance of a robust and periodically updated evidence base, an established ZOI, a partnership approach, communication with site users, a consistent and comprehensive monitoring strategy and linking mitigation solutions with wider initiatives such as Green Infrastructure, Local Nature Recovery Networks and Biodiversity Net Gain amongst others. To read the full article please visit the Natural England website: https://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/6015060338802688