Why land used for shooting is key to Defra’s 30by30 environmental target

Defra’s new 30by30 delivery plan needs private land to succeed. BASC’s Ian Danby explains how sustainable shoots can qualify.

At a glance:

The government is relying on land managers to help it achieve 30by30, one of its most challenging environmental commitments.
A new delivery plan, published today, sets out how to get involved – and land used for shooting is well placed to qualify.
It presents a fantastic opportunity for well-run shoots to be formally recognised as good for the environment.

30by30: a target the government can’t hit alone

30by30 is the government’s commitment to protect 30 per cent of land for biodiversity by 2030. No doubt it’s an ambitious target, and one for which private landowners and land managers will be vital if it is to be met.

Those running sustainable shoots could make the difference between success and failure. From grouse moors to coastal areas managed for wildfowling, these landscapes can and should help meet the challenge by volunteering land to become part of the 30by30 network.

The case for getting involved

I say ‘can’ because the criteria and support that government is putting forward can work for land used for shooting. In fact, three well-known estates with sustainable shoots are members of the government’s National Estate for Nature Group, demonstrating how 30by30 can be successfully delivered alongside sustainable land management.

I say ‘should’ because, as the sector responds to the challenges it faces, having land managed for both shooting and biodiversity conservation recognised as 30by30 sites would provide a powerful political demonstration. It would show that the conservation benefits delivered through sustainable shooting are essential if the government is to meet its statutory and wider nature recovery commitments.

There is another reason I say ‘should’. Achieving 30by30 is not going to be attractive or feasible for every landowner. The level of restoration and long-term management required simply will not suit every holding.

Put simply, if the shooting community does not engage with Defra on this agenda, I personally doubt government will get anywhere near its 30 per cent target. The consequence is likely to be further nature decline, which is the environmental issue BASC members identified as their top concern in our recent survey.

How it works

I am well placed to explain this because BASC has been part of Defra’s 30by30 working group for the past few years, helping refine the delivery plan, the criteria and the process for recognising land as part of the 30by30 network.

Today, the government published both its 30by30 Delivery Plan and accompanying guidance, setting out the criteria and application process. In essence, Defra is introducing a Bronze, Silver and Gold framework.

Land with Gold status formally meets the criteria and counts towards the national 30by30 target. Silver is for land that is either being assessed for Gold status or is in the pipeline to achieve it through further interventions. Bronze recognises land that is already delivering positive outcomes for nature but does not meet the criteria for 30by30.

Current assessments suggest that only around seven per cent of England’s land – primarily Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) – already meets the Gold standard.

A further three and a half per cent of land, including nature reserves and sustainably managed woodland, is expected to qualify in the near future. That still leaves a significant gap. However, Defra’s analysis suggests that around 32 per cent of England has the ecological potential to reach Gold status.

Importantly, 30by30 will not be made up solely of SSSIs, National Parks or Protected Landscapes, important though they are. Defra will also need undesignated private land managed through Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures to step forward and help meet the target. The delivery plan has incentives and support for both areas.

How to get Gold status

There are three criteria that land must meet to achieve Gold status and count towards the 30by30 target:

The purpose of the site’s management must include biodiversity conservation.
There must be protection for the site’s ability to deliver biodiversity conservation for at least 20 years.
The site’s management must either restore biodiversity or maintain existing wildlife-rich habitats.

These criteria can apply just as readily to a sporting estate as they can to a wildfowling club.

What you need to know before you apply

There are important points that address some of the potential concerns people have raised:

You can put forward all or just part of your land for consideration. Keep the ‘feed the nation’ bits out and submit the woodland, hedgerows, field margins and cover crops.
Defra will accept land managed through shorter-term, renewable agri-environment schemes and other funding mechanisms, provided the overall conservation intent is secured.
Land can be removed from the 30by30 register if circumstances change.
30by30 land is not a statutory designation like an SSSI. Instead, it is recognition that the land has met the required standard and is helping the government deliver its international commitments for nature.

Defra’s Delivery Plan and accompanying guidance also set out the support it is developing to help landowners meet the costs of delivery, including new funding opportunities within Protected Landscapes and technical advice.

Think your land could qualify?

Start by asking yourself these questions:

Does the area have a management purpose or objective that includes conserving biodiversity?
Is the area free from activities or land uses that are incompatible* with 30by30?
Does the area already contain wildlife-rich habitat, or is active management taking place to create or restore it?
Is there an intention to secure conservation outcomes in the area for at least 20 years?

If you an answer ‘yes’ to all four questions above, or if you want to discuss whether your land might qualify, please get in touch. We can help you through the process.

I cannot stress enough the opportunity this provides shoots that are run to best practice to be formally recognised as being good for the environment.

*Incompatible uses could include:

built-up areas (other than minor developments such as car parks, visitor centres or operational buildings)
intensive farming or aquaculture
intensive commercial forestry plantations
active mining or oil and gas extraction
major infrastructure, such as motorways, A-roads or active railway lines;
landfill or other waste uses
land where contamination or extensive modification prevents biodiversity outcomes

Ian Danby

Ian Danby is BASC's head of biodiversity and collaborates with the Non-native Species Secretariat to help minimise the threats to UK wildlife from invasive non-native species.