Calling for ‘Domesday’ survey by landowners

Published: 7 November 2024

The majority of National Park land – 86%- is privately owned. Our Health Check report showed that despite this containing some of our most precious habitats and threatened species, there is very little data on its ecological state.

That’s why we have joined with campaigners to call for large landowners to report on how they are looking after their land for nature.

In a letter to Minister Mary Creagh, we proposed that landowners in possession of 1,000 acres or more would be required every five years to report to Defra, including a map of their landholdings and a baseline ecological survey, subsequently updated.

Guy Shrubsole, campaigner and author, who co-ordinated the letter, said: 

“Wildlife and habitats in England are on life support: the government accepts that just 7% of the nation is properly protected for nature at present, and it has a mountain to climb to protect 30% by 2030.

“With half of England owned by less than 1% of the population, it’s only reasonable that big estates should report publicly on how they’ll take better care of the land.”

Dr Rose O’Neill, Chief Executive of Campaign for National Parks said:

“Even in our National Parks, the nation knows very little about how these landscapes are managed. Our Health Check showed that to meet legal targets for biodiversity, we must do more to recover nature within National Parks. The largest private landowners are critical to that, including sharing information about the wildlife and habitats that make up their landholding.”

The letter can be downloaded here: