Northern Ireland's Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir extended the public consultation period for the draft Nature Recovery Strategy by four weeks. The new deadline is 15 April 2026.

The strategy outlines five objectives and specific actions to protect and restore nature and biodiversity. These steps involve coordination across government, business and society.

Some actions build on existing strategies and policies. Others introduce new measures to advance nature restoration.

DAERA plans to establish a Nature Recovery Forum to manage the strategy's implementation.

Minister Muir noted that the consultation has drawn substantial interest. He reviewed input from stakeholders and determined more time was required for detailed responses to improve the final strategy.