Memorandum by the Local Government Association
(BIO 35)
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 While Local Authorities do not have
a specific responsibility to protect and promote local Biodiversity
many Councils have taken important action to protect their local
wildlife. Partnerships between Local Authorities, Wildlife Trusts,
RSPB, National Trust, and many other national and local wildlife
groups have shown how the enthusiasm of experts, local people
and Council officers and members can make a real difference to
the protection and understanding of local wildlife.
1.2 Local Authorities have an important
role through the Land Use Planning System to identify and protect
important national and local sites and species of wildlife importance.
Many Local Authorities are working in partnership with community
groups through their Local Agenda 21 Strategies, Environmental
Action Plans or Open Space strategies, to address the protection
and enhancement of wildlife.
1.3 The government's "A strategy for
sustainable development for the UK—A better quality of Life"
(DETR 1999), identifies the protection and enhancement of wildlife
as a key issue. Indicators are now being measured by the government
to monitor: Populations of wild birds, Biodiversity Action Plans,
native species at risk, as well as other related indicators. A
government sponsored project called "Local Quality of Life
Counts" is shortly to be published which ask Local Authorities
to monitor habitats protected locally and species which indicate
the health of local Biodiversity. In addition to Local Authorities
other agencies also have responsibility to protect wildlife, including
the Environment Agency and Water Authorities.
1.4 This however does not add up to a coherent
national strategy for Biodiversity. To achieve this and ensure
action at the local level Government needs to decide what constitutes
the UK Biodiversity and how important it is to protect it. Government
must also understand the level of intervention and the resources
needed to be found to protect and manage a strategy to maintain
that level of Biodiversity. There is a considerable expectation
both by government and local people that wildlife and habitats
should be protected. The key issues for Local Authorities to address
if they are to play their role effectively in meeting this expectation
are set out below.
2. ISSUES LOCAL
AUTHORITIES ADDRESSING
BIODIVERSITY
2.1 Protection of Habitats and Species—many
factors related to human activity are putting pressure on our
habitats and species of wildlife. They include pollution from
business, transport and utilities, loss of green space from development,
use of herbicides and pesticides, water abstraction, land reclamation
and modern agricultural practices.
Generally Nature Conservation is taken into
consideration by Local Authorities through policies for public
open space management and the Land Use planning system. Some Local
Authorities have Biodiversity Plans, are working in partnership
with local people to manage and protect wildlife and are achieving
real improvements. However, local authorities are not specifically
audited on their performance on local Biodiversity and therefore
protection of habitats and species is not generally a high priority.
Consequently it is estimated the majority of local authorities
are not taking a lead to develop comprehensive Biodiversity Plans
at present.
2.2 Changes in UK Biodiversity due to
Climate Change—a further factor will be the increasing
effect of climate change due to global warming on UK Biodiversity.
This is likely to lead to new species arriving from outside the
UK and becoming resident. Native species will be under pressure
from the new competition and from changes in habitat composition
due to changing environmental conditions. Clear guidance on what
species and habitats should be protected will be needed.
2.3 Measuring Biodiversity—a
real difficulty exists for Local Authorities who need to know
what should be protected, how this should be done and what should
be measured to ensure adequate species and habitat protection
in the future. English Nature are currently working on the level
of management required to protect existing native species. The
results of this work is likely to show that the scale of the problem
is large and complex. The level of monitoring needed to understand
species and habitat changes is also likely to be much greater
than the "Quality of Life Counts" indicators currently
suggested.
2.4 The Network of Nationally Protected
Wildlife Sites—this is the UK backbone to species and
habitat protection. However it is increasingly apparent that the
range of sites currently protected will not ensure adequate Biodiversity
for the future given all the pressures on wildlife identified
in para.2.1 above. In addition Local Nature Reserves and private
nature areas protected largely by charitable organisations are
a significant addition to the national sites. These private sites
often enjoy better protection than many sites protected by SSSI
status. This protection is hopefully to be improved with the passage
of the Countryside Bill currently making its way through parliament.
The key issue here is the need for a detailed
UK strategy on Biodiversity which identifies the roles for central,
regional and local government. In addition it should identify
the partnerships needed with other organisations to ensure the
long-term viability of native species and habitats in line with
the principles of the UK strategy for sustainable development.
2.5 The need for Biodiversity, Habitat
and Species Action Plans—the experience from Local Authorities
who are making a serious attempt to protect and manage Biodiversity
is that proper Biodiversity, Habitat and Species Action Plans
are needed. Also needed will be the resources to effectively implement
and measure them. There is a need for a statutory basis for this
work with regional and local government taking a lead to organise
partnerships and pool resources. It is unlikely that adequate
Biodiversity for the UK can be achieved without significant action
being taken at the local and regional level and with wider involvement
of both the public and other public and private organisations.
2.6 Resource Implications—should
BAPs, HAPs and SAPs become a statutory duty, and should government
and its agencies identify the roles and targets for local and
regional Biodiversity, there will inevitably be a resource implication.
The need for more action at all levels of government to meet the
aspirations of the UK Sustainable Development Strategy is I believe
essential. What resources will be needed is not clear at this
stage. In assessing the resource implications a wide variety of
help needs to be considered. The role of Best Value, schools using
the National Curriculum, the more effective use of Land Use Planning,
identifying funds from hypothecated taxation, the business and
tourism opportunities, use of transport corridors, to name some
examples. Biodiversity is a cross-cutting issue and government
must approach it with all appropriate policy areas contributing
to the solution and making sure they are not adding to the problem.
3. CONCLUSION
3.1 The stated aim of the government is
to achieve sustainable development to ensure the future well-being
of the country and the planet, to achieve this proper importance
needs to be given to the protection of UK Biodiversity now and
for future generations.
3.2 It would appear reasonable for all levels
of government to have a statutory responsibility for helping to
achieve this, and the vehicle of BAPs would be an important step
forward. The resource implications of this for local and regional
government is a concern. However by bringing all relevant organisations
together with a commitment to partnership working and pooling
resources, real opportunities can be found to effectively implement
BAPs together, where necessary, with HAPs and SAPs. This may not
preclude the need for more direct resources from government to
support BAP implementation. This will depend on the level of intervention
and monitoring needed to meet targets for habitat and species
protection that will need to be produced if we wish to guarantee
the survival of our natural heritage for future generations.
June 2000
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