10 Rejected

Identify commonly requested low-risk species for inclusion in the reintroduction register.

Recommendation
The current system for reintroducing species is overly bureaucratic, hindering nature recovery. There are many species—particularly amongst plants, fungi, and insects—that pose little or no risk. Identifying and supporting those low-risk species would give confidence to stakeholders seeking to reintroduce them and reduce the burden on the Department, allowing it to focus on more complex and high-risk cases. Rather than attempting to include all species in the register, the England Species Reintroductions Taskforce should identify commonly requested species for inclusion in it.
Government Response Summary
The government rejected the recommendation to identify commonly requested species for a register, stating that reintroduction is not a priority and it will not be producing a strategy or a list of priority species.
Paragraph Reference
31
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government Rejected
Given that reintroduction is not a priority for the government, we will not be producing a strategy or a list of priority species for reintroduction. Proposals for reintroductions, and the suitability of the species proposed and associated risks, are highly dependent on the specific circumstances in which they are made. For example, the existing species assemblage, environmental conditions and socio-economic circumstances will all be factors and significantly influence decisions as to whether it is appropriate to reintroduce a species in a particular location or locations. We have set out best practice guidance in the government’s Code for Reintroductions which has been published on gov.uk alongside information on applying for a licence as appropriate.
Timeline
Recommendation age 2.9 yrs
Report published 11 Jul 2023