The long-term legally binding Environment Act habitat target is to restore or create more than 500,000 hectares of a range of wildlife-rich habitats outside of protected sites by 31st December 2042.
This technical information note was prepared jointly by Defra and Natural England, and sets out how the habitat targets will be defined and measured. This information serves two purposes: to provide high-level clarification for non-experts, and to provide detail for experts/those advising in the context of on-the-ground action. It includes definitions for restoration and creation, the list of wildlife-rich habitats, and the actions that will count toward the target.