Natural Environment 2012: Balancing Nature, Society and the Economy

Govtoday’s Natural Environment 2012: Balancing Nature, Society and the Economy conference and exhibition will examine the first White Paper for over 20 years on the Natural Environment. The Natural Choice: securing the value of nature was launched on the 7th June 2011 by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Caroline Spelman MP, and placed the value of nature at the centre of choices that the nation must take:

“Nature is sometimes taken for granted and undervalued. But people cannot flourish without the benefits and services our natural environment provides. Nature is a complex, interconnected system. A healthy, properly functioning natural environment is the foundation of sustained economic growth, prospering communities and personal wellbeing”
The Natural Choice: securing the value of nature

Chaired by Craig Bennett, Director of Policy and Campaigns at Friends of the Earth, and Ian Barker, Head of Land and Water at the Environment Agency, the conference will feature panels discussions, learning and implementation master classes, and presentations from:

• Cllr David Parsons CBE, Chair of the LG Group Environment and Housing Board and Leader Leicestershire County Council, on The Role of Local Authorities
• Professor Steve Albon, Co-Chair, UK National Ecosystem Assessment & The James Hutton Institute, on The UK National Ecosystem Assessment – What it means for the Nation
• Professor Sir John Lawton CBE FRS, Chair, Lawton Report, ‘Making Space for Nature’, Defra on Making Space for Nature – Creating a Step-Change
• Dr Pete Brotherton, Head of Biodiversity, Natural England on The Role of Natural England
• Simon Hodgson, Chief Executive, Forestry Commission on Spatial Awareness from the Forestry Commission

Further details and booking…