Introduction to Nature Conservation Legislation in the UK (England)

The policy and legislative environment in England is constantly changing, keep up to date with this training course.

Nature conservation law and policy in England provides the framework within which ecological decisions are made — from advising on development proposals and biodiversity net gain, to managing protected sites, undertaking species licensing work and contributing to strategic nature recovery. Understanding how this framework operates in practice is essential for ecologists working across consultancy, local authorities, utilities and conservation organisations. Following a period of particularly rapid policy and regulatory change in late 2025, staying up to date with how this framework now operates has become increasingly important.

This course provides a clear, practical introduction to the current legal and policy structures for nature conservation in England. It explains how legislation, planning policy and regulatory processes fit together, and how they are applied in real-world decision-making. The course focuses on building legal literacy and confidence, enabling participants to explain, justify and defend ecological advice to clients, planners and regulators.

Through interactive sessions and a practical case study, the course explores how ecological evidence is used within planning and regulatory systems, including biodiversity net gain, protected sites and species, and emerging strategic approaches to nature recovery. Unlike many academic courses, this training focuses on how legislation and policy operate in practice, using a rich case study that integrates species and habitat issues to reflect the types of situations ecologists encounter in professional roles.

The course covers:

• The structure of nature conservation law and policy in England
• Protected sites and designations (SSSIs, European sites, Ramsar sites, National Parks and Local Nature Reserves)
• Species protection, licensing and enforcement
• The place of Biodiversity Net Gain within the wider legal and planning framework
• The relationship between ecological evidence, planning decisions and regulatory outcomes
• A practical case study reflecting issues commonly encountered in ecological practice

This training session will be delivered by Dr Alina Congreve and Duncan Craig.

Alina is an experienced planning and sustainability professional with 18 years experience working in higher education, public policy and innovation. Her main areas of expertise are:

• Spatial planning
• Ecosystem services and natural capital
• City scale action on climate change adaptation and mitigation
• Design and delivery of professional and higher education programmes

Recent projects include: Opening up vocational pathways into nature based green jobs for CIEEM and LANTRA; Green infrastructure roadmapping for Swansea University; Systematic review of Sustainable Tourism post-covid for Hertfordshire University; Advanced professional skills for ecologists for Rothamsted; and policy briefings on a range of topics for Local Government Information Unit. She has a masters degree from UCL in Conservation and a PhD from King’s College London. She holds professional membership of the RTPI.

Duncan has a strong background in environmental conservation, research and planning. This includes policy and programme development and evaluation, as well as strategic and behavioural change. He has worked as a consultant on numerous multi-partner projects on behalf of a range of clients including Natural England, Cefas, Defra and WWF. Duncan also has extensive experience of international development, stakeholder engagement and partnership working for both the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank Group. Duncan holds a first class bachelor’s degree in Coastal Conservation and Management, in addition to a postgraduate degree in international development from the University of Edinburgh. He works for Evolved Research and Consulting Ltd, who were founded by Professor Anthony Gallagher, who is the chair of the Clyde Marine Planning Partnership (CMMP), which is delegated to deliver a statutory Regional Marine Plan for the Clyde region (out to 12nm).

This course is suitable for early-career and mid-career ecologists, including:

• Ecologists working in consultancies, who need to understand how nature conservation law and policy shape everyday ecological advice, planning submissions and client discussions
• Local authority and National Park Authority ecologists involved in planning, site management, policy interpretation or regulatory decision-making
• Ecologists working for utilities, NGOs and land-managing organisations, where conservation objectives must be delivered within legal and policy frameworks
• Experienced ecologists returning from overseas, or new to working in England, who want a clear introduction to the English legal and policy context

No prior legal or planning training is required, but a basic understanding of ecological principles is advisable.

• Understand the international context for UK nature conservation legislation and the implications of the UK’s post-Brexit position
• Understand national legislation for the protection of wildlife, including individual species and habitats
• Understand the legal context for designated sites, including the hierarchy of protections
• Recognise how offences commonly occur, their implications, and associated enforcement responsibilities
• Understand how offences are commonly avoided through lawful derogations (e.g. protected species licensing)