The environment provides a vital - and valuable - role in
supporting the basic natural services we all depend on. For
example, bees pollinate our crops and they in turn provide us with
food. So, many bodies in the UK from the statutory, voluntary,
academic and business sectors work together to conserve
biodiversity.
The UK has signed up to European and
International conservation agreements. In 1994 the UK became
the first country to produce a national biodiversity action plan,
as part of its commitment to the Convention on Biological
Diversity.
Since then devolution has led the four country
conservation agencies in the UK, the Countryside Council for Wales,
the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside, Natural
England and Scottish Natural Heritage, to produce their own
biodiversity conservation strategies. JNCC plays an important role
by supporting the agencies through helping to co-ordinate
conservation action and research.
UK BAP - UK
nature conservation needs us to work with partners to deliver more
biodiversity. In 1994, the UK became the first country to
produce a national Biodiversity Action Plan or BAP, following the
Convention on Biological Diversity signed in Rio de Janeiro in
1992. The UK approach has been confirmed by the environment
ministers of all the UK countries and is explained in "Conserving
Biodiversity – the UK approach".
Most ‘hands on’ nature conservation happens locally and is
organised within each UK country. Each country has its own
Biodiversity
Group. JNCC’s role is more technical. It covers
advice, data, communication and support to the UK BAP groups –
see committee paper for more detail.
Amongst the data and information products JNCC supplies for UK
BAP are:
- Habitat Management on the Web is a
search engine designed for people who want to find out how best to
manage non-marine habitats in the UK for biodiversity and
conservation.
- JNCC’s species pages show information about BAP
priority species including why they are a priority, how they are
protected and which actions they need.
- Biodiversity Action Plan
Reporting System or BARS is a web-based information system
to record and share all BAP action. We are developing it to
make it even more useful for people working on or interested in
biodiversity conservation.
UKGAP –
(geodiversity action plan) Various regional groups (typically
county councils) have been developing ‘Geodiversity Action
Plans’(GAPs) to mirror their Local BAPs in an effort to ensure
protection of important geological and geomorphological sites, as
well as to promote educational and cultural activity based on
geodiversity.
Research priorities - the
UK Biodiversity Research Advisory Group (UK
BRAG) plays a key role in developing research needs at the UK
level.
Reporting - The UK is required to
report on the status and trends of species covered by various
international Conventions and Directives. View assessments
resulting from the last Habitats Directive reporting
round.
Phytophthora - Three species
of the plant-damaging water mould, Phytophthora, have
recently been discovered in Great Britain, with the potential to
devastate heathland sites, along with their unique wildlife, and
recreational value. Phytophthora ramorum, P. kernoviae and P.
pseudosyringae are believed to be non-native species, and may
have been introduced via international horticultural trade.
Review of SSSI
guidelines - The decision has been taken to carry out
a light touch review of Parts A (Rationale) and B (Operational
Approach and Criteria) of the Guidelines, which goes beyond merely
tidying up the text, in order to take on board important issues in
relation to the purpose of the SSSI network, such as the ecosystem
approach and climate change adaptation. It is the view of the
Inter-Agency SSSI Review Group that any revision of Parts A and B
is likely to have implications for some elements of Part C
(detailed Guidelines for Habitats and Species Groups), and further
consideration may need to be given to this.
Surveillance Strategy - JNCC has
developed The UK Terrestrial Biodiversity Surveillance Strategy as
a tool for analysing and assessing data needs and comparing these
against current surveillance coverage. The strategy
identifies gaps and overlaps in the coverage of surveillance
schemes in order to enable surveillance in the UK to become more
useful and efficient in the future. We need surveillance and
monitoring schemes to show us a clear picture of biodiversity in
the UK and to answer policy questions such as what are the
environmental pressures affecting species.
SPA
review
Marine
conservation in UK waters