The leaders of Powys County Council and Shropshire Council have written to His Majesty the King to highlight the work of the Borders Forward Partnership, following his recent address to the US Congress.

In a joint letter Councillor Jake Berriman, Leader of Powys County Council and Councillor Heather Kidd, Leader of Shropshire Council, set out the King's call to recognise the importance of nature conservation as a foundation for long-term prosperity and security.

Writing on behalf of the Borders Forward Partnership, a collaboration between Powys, Herefordshire, Monmouthshire and Shropshire councils, the leaders said its message aligned closely with their work alongside business and infrastructure partners to strengthen the rural economy across the Wales-England border.

The letter highlights the Partnership's ambition to position the region as the "Capital of Rural Britain" – a practical approach to putting rural needs, natural assets and infrastructure at the heart of economic decisions.

They championed the region for being rich in "rural capital", including land, water, food systems, energy and infrastructure, which are essential to the basis of national food security, water resilience and essential services.

Jake Berriman, Leader of Powys County Council, said: "The King's message of recognising nature's own economy strongly reflects what we are trying to do.

"By treating our natural assets as part of our economic base, the Rural Britain Capital approach shows how rural areas can lead the way in achieving sustainable growth and long-term resilience."

Heather Kidd, Leader of Shropshire Council, said: "His Majesty's words were a powerful reminder that we cannot separate the health of our environment from the strength of our economy. In this region, we see first-hand how flooding, water pressure and changes to our landscape are impacting people's lives and our local economy. The Capital of Rural Britain is about responding to that challenge in a practical way. Bringing nature and infrastructure together means we can protect what we have while building a safer and more resilient future for our communities."

Their letter also highlighted the growing challenges facing the region, including flooding, water stress and ecological decline, and the impact these pressures can have on communities, supply chains and economic growth.

At the same time, it highlighted the opportunity to address these challenges through integrated, place-based approaches that protect and restore natural systems while supporting sustainable growth.

As part of this work, the Partnership is already testing new approaches through initiatives such as the Severn Valley Water Management Plan, which is exploring how natural and engineering solutions can be incorporated into long-term planning and investment decisions.

The letter concludes that nature protection should not be seen as an obstacle to growth, but as a foundation for a safer, more resilient and prosperous future.

Councillors Berriman and Kidd said they hope the Partnership's work will be consistent with King's long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable development, and have offered to share more details about their approach.

The ambition of the Borders Forward Partnership is to develop a replicable model across rural Britain and beyond – demonstrating how environmental resilience and economic growth can go hand in hand.