Outcome 2: A nature-rich, more biodiverse landscape
Objective 6: Create bigger, better and more joined-up habitats, with nature-rich wildlife corridors extending beyond the National Park boundaries.
Status
Underway and on target
How is this objective measured?
- Local Nature Recovery Plan for North York Moors National Park completed by Autumn 2024.
- Area of land covered by conservation agreements.
- National Indicator 1: Restore or create more than 250,000 hectares of a range of wildlife-rich habitats within Protected Landscapes, outside protected sites by 2042 (from a 2022 baseline). Measured by: extent of wildlife rich habitat created or restored within Protected Landscapes, outside of protected sites. (locally apportioned target is 11,916 ha)
- National Indicator 2: Bring 80% of SSSIs within Protected Landscapes into favourable condition by 2042.
- National Indicator 3: 60% of SSSIs within Protected Landscapes assessed as having ‘actions on track’ to achieve favourable condition by 31 January 2028.
- National Indicator 4: Continuing favourable management of all existing priority habitat already in favourable condition outside of SSSIs (from a 2022 baseline) and increasing to include all newly restored or created habitat through agri-environment schemes by 2042. Measured by: extent of priority habitat within Protected Landscapes, outside of protected sites, in favourable management through agri-environment schemes; percentage of land managers adopting nature-friendly farming on a percentage of their land.
2024/25 monitoring statement
The Local Nature Recovery Plan has been prepared and is published on our website. North Yorkshire Council and Tees Valley Combined Authority are preparing the Local Nature Recovery Strategy for North Yorkshire and York and Tees Valley respectively, which is required under the Environment Act 2021. The strategies will set priorities and target areas for restoring and enhancing nature in the region and are due to be published in 2025/26. Forestry England have actively engaged with development of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
In 2024, 67,600 ha of land was in agri-environment schemes (Countryside Stewardship, Environmental Stewardship and Sustainable Farming Initiative), which was 58% of the registered area (total hectares of land parcels on the Rural Land Register) in the National Park (Source: Natural England).
NYMNPA delivered 115.32 ha of woodland restoration in 2024/25, with Boulby Section 106 funding supporting 105.24 ha of woodland restoration over 16 agreements and the final year of Ryevitalise supporting 10.08 ha of restoration. 13.06 km of hedgerow was also enhanced.
100 broadleaf trees were planted at Levisham Brow as part of the Planting a Lasting Legacy for People and Nature project, led by the North York Moors Trust. This was funded by 50 individuals/families. A new orchard was planted at Low Horcum Farmstead, Hole of Horcum, which included local heritage varieties, i.e. Hunt House Apple from Goathland. This was funded by a partnership between Rounton Coffee and the North York Moors Trust.
National indicator 1 data from Natural England shows that from January 2023 to March 2025, 79.7 ha of wildlife rich habitat was created or restored outside protected sites in the National Park. However, there isn’t yet complete data for all activities that count towards this target, therefore the data is probably an underestimate at present (Source: Natural England). The NYMNPA has agreed an apportioned target of 11,916 ha of wildlife-rich habitats (outside protected sites) to be restored by 2042. The target assumes that by 2042, 17% of farmland will be managed wholly for nature (9,975 ha); 500 ha of plantations on ancient woodland sites will be restored; 121 ha of forest to bog and wildlife-rich habitats will be restored; 520 ha (25%) of grassland will be restored; and 800 ha of conifer woodland will be converted to native broadleaf. National Indicator 1 also applies to Objective 7.
National indicator 2 is on target. In 2024, 57 SSSI features (31%) were in favourable condition and in 2025 this had increased significantly to 76 (42%) (Source: Natural England). An additional five SSSI features per year need to come into favourable condition to stay on target for 80% (147) in 2042.
National indicator 3 is on target. By 2024, 7% of SSSI features (12 features) had actions on track to become favourable (Source: Natural England). By 2025, 20% (37 features) had actions on track, an increase of 25 (Source: Natural England). To achieve 60% (110) SSSI features with actions on track by 2028, there will need to be 24 additional SSSI features with actions on track each year.
SSSIs are no longer graded as an entire area by Natural England, they are instead assessed for condition by feature. An SSSI may have multiple features, each given a separate condition grade. What is reported for National Indicators 2 and 3 is the condition of individual features, not the overall condition of each SSSI.
Data for National indicator 4 is currently awaited from Natural England. In 2024, 37% of the National Park was priority habitat, of which the majority was upland heathland (Source: Natural England). However, most priority habitat (especially upland heathland) is within SSSIs and therefore will not contribute to National Indicator 4. 2024 data also showed that 58% of the registered area in the National Park was managed under agri-environment scheme agreements (Countryside Stewardship, Environmental Stewardship and the Sustainable Farming Incentive) (Source: Natural England).
Objective 7: Restore wilder and more naturally functioning ecosystems on at least 2,000 hectares in the National Park.
Status
Underway but behind target
How is this objective measured?
- Bransdale Management Plan completed by March 2023
- Newtondale Partnership completed by March 2023
- National Indicator 1: Restore or create more than 250,000 hectares of a range of wildlife-rich habitats within Protected Landscapes, outside protected sites by 2042 (from a 2022 baseline). Measured by: extent of wildlife rich habitat created or restored within Protected Landscapes, outside of protected sites. (locally apportioned target is 11,916 ha).
2024/25 monitoring statement
Bransdale Conservation Management Plan work is continuing, with contributions from the National Trust, tenant farmers, Forestry England, Nawton Towers Estate and the Environment Agency, with completion expected in 2025.
Forestry England received permission to remove 25 ha of conifer woodland from Scot Ridge and replace with heathland/wooded mosaic. Forestry England also formed the Wild Newtondale Partnership and a land management plan was produced, with funding secured to begin implementation over 458 ha.
The Linking Levisham Landscape Recovery Project is underway; this and Forestry England work at Newtondale have superseded the Newtondale Conservation Management Plan. Linking Levisham will explore how the Levisham Estate can work harder for nature and climate through land use change, whilst supporting viable farming businesses. The project aims to establish ecologically connected habitats, such as woodland, bog, fen, grassland and moorland. The project team have now been recruited, and the development phase has commenced, with progress underway data gathering and feasibility studies. The evidence gathered will inform proposals for land management, monitoring and funding. The development phase is due to complete in March 2026.
In the Birds on the Edge project, North York Moors Trust worked with communities, farmers and land managers in National Park and surrounding areas, including the Howardian Hills National Landscapes, to create and restore rich habitat for birds. In 2024/25, four ponds, eight drinking pools and 4.2 hectares of feeding/nesting habitat (wildflower plots) were created, two historic dew ponds were restored, and 24 supplementary feeder/seed dispensers were installed across 12 farms. This work was funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund, Section 106, Farming in Protected Landscapes and Yorkshire Water.
Information on the progress towards National Indicator 1 can be found under Objective 6.
Objective 8: Work with our moorland community to support the sustainable management of moorland to ensure it retains its intrinsic character and supports a greater variety and abundance of species and habitats.
Status
Underway and on target
How is this objective measured?
- Work with Natural England and Moorland Partners to enhance moorland fringe habitat.
- SSSIs in favourable condition increased by 10%.
- Case studies - Evidence of changing land management practices on moorland areas.
2024/25 monitoring statement
The Moorland Forum continues to meet regularly, to discuss moorland issues and address challenges. Following an initial scoping exercise, the NYMNPA has been working to establish a North York Moors Graziers group through FiPL.
Under the Moor to Restore project, peat restoration work was completed on seven sites as of March 2025. An extension to the project (until 31 March 2026) was granted. Peatland restoration will continue to be delivered with a further 5 sites in the pipeline. Restoration work will commence after the 2025 nesting bird season.
In 2024, 57 SSSI features (31%) were in favourable condition and in 2025 this had increased significantly to 76 (42%) (Source: Natural England). This is an increase of 33%, which already exceeds our target of increasing SSSI in favourable condition by 10% before the end of the current management plan in 2027.
NYMPA, Forestry England, North York Moors Railway, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Ministry of Defence, Natural England, Historic England and land managers/licensees are partners on the Linking Levisham Landscape Recovery Scheme, which will pioneer innovative management to restore moorland biodiversity.