South Yorkshire Local Nature Partnership

SYLNP is a group with representation from local government, environmental groups, government agencies and the private sector. We work at a strategic level to ensure South Yorkshire's natural environment is valued, enhanced, celebrated and enjoyed by everyone and is recognised for the essential contribution it makes to the local economy and peoples' quality of life.

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South Yorkshire Local Nature Partnership (SYLNP) is a network of organisations from across the voluntary, public and private sectors of South Yorkshire working together to achieve our common vision:

“South Yorkshire’s natural environment is valued, enhanced, celebrated and enjoyed by everyone and is recognised for the essential contribution it makes to the local economy and peoples’ quality of life.”

To help achieve this vision the SYLNP will aim to ensure South Yorkshire’s natural environment is:

1. 1. Valued, enhanced and protected
    By:
    Seeking opportunities for investment and enhancement at a landscape scale Identifying & minimising risks to the natural environment
    Promoting existing and new partnerships that benefit the natural environment
    Promoting appropriate natural capital approaches and investment
    Identifying and overseeing significant opportunities
    Coordinating and overseeing major project development
  2. Recognised for its contribution to a sense of place and enhanced quality of life for all
    By:
    Promoting evidenced based case studies to health & wellbeing boards, local authorities, others
    Defining, celebrating and promoting SY natural assets – sense of place – and how this contributes to the visitor economy
  3. At the heart of decision-making for sustainable social and economic development
    By:
    Influencing key decision-makers: SCR CA/LEP, Councillors, Mayor etc
    Actively engaging in the duty to co-operate on Local Plans
    Identifying and promoting opportunities to support sustainable development in SY, for example through influencing:
    Planning development and delivery, infrastructure investment, including green & blue infrastructure, flood protection & natural flood risk management, green prescribing, air quality improvement, climate change adaptation/mitigation

The partnership has a Board of local representatives as follows:

Elected Chair: Liz Ballard, Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust
Elected Vice-Chair: position currently vacant
Kevin Burke, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
Dr Cate Hammond, Sheffield Hallam University
Laurie Heykoop, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority
Alison Holt, Natural Capital Solutions
Michael Johnson, Sheffield City Council
Melissa Massarella, Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council
Nick Sellwood, Woodland Trust
Crispin Thorn, Forestry Commission
Brian Tinnion, Independent
Paula Tweed, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
Pete Wall, Dearne Valley/Barnsley Biodiversity Trust
Tom Wild, The University of Sheffield
Mike Winstanley, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

The South Yorkshire Local Nature Partnership has an adopted Terms of Reference but is not a constituted body nor does it have any funds or resources of its own.

The current secretariat is Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust. To contact the SYLNP please email: i.cracknell@wildsheffield.com

Our Board meetings are currently being held online. Our most recent meeting was held on 15th March 2022. The next meeting date will be held TBC June 2022.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 10th December 2021 are available to download here.

Adopted SYLNP Strategy