Recommendation 55

We recommend that the Government should invest in and prioritise the training and upskilling of talent in ecology as a priority. As a temporary measure, to address current staff shortages, the Government should pilot and establish local ecological resource hubs, consisting of qualified ecologists and environmental planners, who are available to local authorities facing acute resource challenges. The Government should establish a pilot programme for ecological resource hubs by July 2026. (Recommendation, Paragraph 188)