Briefing Note for Natural Environment White Paper June 2011
June 2011 saw the HM Government release its white paper on how it will take forward the Biodiversity Challenge to halt the loss of UK and International species and habitats. It details how to “mainstream the value of nature across our society”; “promote an ambitious, integrated approach, creating a resilient ecological network across England.” and “move from net biodiversity loss to net gain”. “ This will be enacted through “a new direction for policy over the next decade”.
How the government intends to enact these changes is set out in the white paper, the implications of which affect all council functions. Fortunately, these intentions mirror the Council’s objectives within the WCC Biodiversity Strategy (2008), with our aim being:
“To work with partners to protect and enhance existing and future wildlife populations and habitats in Warwickshire, within a resilient landscape. We will achieve this by increasing the amount of land and buildings positively managed for biodiversity, averting local extinction of species and reducing the number of species on the danger list.”
This briefing note will follow the strands within the WCC Biodiversity Strategy fitting the Government’s intentions to these strands. It illustrates that Biodiversity is the responsibility of all Council Officers and Councillors. Each of the following strands is hyperlinked to enable you to “jump” to your particular interest / responsibility.
- Data and information
- Regulation
- Management of our own estate
- Education and learning
- Community leadership
- Reporting and review
Defra – The Natural Environment White Paper – case studies and their summary sheet for Local Authorities
Ecological Services has allocated “Biodiversity Reps” as a first point of call for enquiries from our groups below (unless you already have a previously allocated contact):
- Communities Group Biodiversity Rep: David Lowe (Principal Ecologist, 8076);
- People Group Biodiversity Rep: Barbara Golding (Ecologist, 8074);
- Resources Group Biodiversity Rep: Lois Browne/Michelle Eaton (Ecologists, 8060).
Complementary and supporting documentation published at the same time as the White Paper includes: