How is biodiversity protected and managed?
Local Biodiversity Action Plans
The UK Biodiversity Action Plan recognised that biodiversity is ultimately lost or conserved at the local level. It also recognised that achieving the Plan’s goal of conserving and enhancing biodiversity would require a partnership approach. Nowhere is this more important than at the local level.
Between 2000 and 2010, 119 local biodiversity action partnerships and nine regional biodiversity fora were established across England helping to bring about a groundswell of activity and innovation at a local level to meet the challenges faced by our biodiversity.
What is the role of local biodiversity action plans?
Local Biodiversity Action Plans (LBAP) identify local priorities for biodiversity and work to deliver agreed actions and targets for priority habitats and species and locally important wildlife and sites. Biodiversity Actions Plans (BAPs) are familiar to many individuals and organisations as a mechanism for securing local, regional and national delivery. Whilst the plans themselves are no longer recognised as formal expression of the delivery of biodiversity targets many BAPs continue to be effective at securing biodiversity (and other) outcomes on the ground and provide a useful mechanism to focus delivery.
What is the role of Local biodiversity Partnerships?
LBAPs are local partnerships that involve wildlife organisations, local authorities, businesses and other interested parties. LBAPs seek to reflect the values of local people and provide a focus for local initiatives driving delivery of Biodiversity Action Plans at a local level and ensuring that Action Plans are reflected in the development of Community Strategies and other local plans to further the wellbeing of their local areas.
Whilst there is no longer central funding to support local biodiversity partnerships many may seek to become self sustaining and or become Local Nature Partnerships
announced in the Natural Environment White Paper.
Local Nature Partnerships
There is an opportunity now for LBAP groups to join with other partners and develop Local Nature Partnerships, which will help local environmental partnerships respond to the new challenges set out in the Natural Environment White Paper.
Local Nature Partnerships will comprise of new and existing partnerships which come together to facilitate joined-up local environmental action and they can include many of the following:
- Local Authorities (county and district)
- Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
- Parish Councils
- Community Forums
- National Parks
- Arms Length Bodies (Environment Agency, Natural England, Forestry Commission, Marine Management Organization, English Heritage, British Waterways etc)
- Civil society organisations and Environmental Charities (e.g. Wildlife Trusts, RSPB, National Trust, Butterfly Conservation etc)
- Existing Partnerships (e.g. Coastal Partnerships, Local Biodiversity Action Plan Partnerships, Local Access Forums, LEADER Local Action Groups, Rural and Farming Networks, Green Infrastructure Partnerships)
- Land Owners
- Local Businesses
- Local Enterprise Partnerships
- Health and Wellbeing Reps
- Education/Learning organisations
- Community Organisers
- Local Environmental Record Centres
- Local Universities
It is hoped that the Local Nature Partnerships will support the delivery of Nature Improvement Areas, also announced in the Natural Environment White paper; providing local leadership on environmental issues, monitoring and reporting on progress of environmental outcomes and continue to contribute to relevant reporting mechanisms such as the BARS system.
Further information
England's Biodiversity Strategy 2011
Details of Local Biodiversity Action Plans in England and the actions being undertaken locally can be found on the Biodiversity Action Reporting System (BARS) website.
