Country
Biodiversity Groups
Following the establishment of devolved governments in
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in 1998, responsibility for
environmental legislation and the implementation of Biodiversity
Action Plans is now at the country level. The
distinctive elements of biodiversity in each of the four countries
of the UK are able to be considered both independently and in
collaboration with neighbouring countries. This allows for
conservation approaches to be tailored to the varying conditions
within different areas of the UK. There are four Country
Biodiversity Groups and each of these has published country
strategies to guide their BAP work.
Underpinning the UK framework are
country strategies for biodiversity and the environment in each of
the four countries of the UK. These include further priorities and
are supported by additional measures and indicators, reflecting the
countries’ different responsibilities, needs and views. Objectives
of the strategies are generally to:
- Halt the loss of biodiversity and
continue to reverse previous losses through targeted actions for
species and habitats.
- Increase awareness, understanding and
enjoyment of biodiversity, and engage more people in conservation
and enhancement.
- Restore and enhance biodiversity in
urban, rural and marine environments through better planning,
design and practice.
- Develop an effective management
framework that ensures biodiversity is taken into account in wider
decision making.
- Ensure knowledge on biodiversity is
available to all policy makers and practitioners.
England Biodiversity Group
The most recent England biodiversity strategy,
'Biodiversity 2020: A strategy for England's wildlife and ecosystem
services' was published by Defra on 19 August 2011. This new
strategy supercedes the previous England biodiversity strategy
'Working
with the grain of nature' (PDF, 2Mb), which was published by
Defra in October 2002.
The new strategy builds on the Natural
Environment White Paper for England – 'The Natural
Choice', which was published on 7 June 2011, and provides
a picture of how England is implementng its international and EU
commitments. It sets out the strategic direction for biodiversity
policy for the next decade on land and at sea, and builds on the
successful work that has gone before.
The England Biodiversity Group is chaired by Defra, which provides its
secretariat thorough the Biodiversity Policy Unit. It
oversees the development and delivery of the England
Biodiversity Strategy, and is supported by
specific Strategic Information Groups (SIGs), which report to
the group frequently via BARS.
The most recent Scottish biodiversity strategy, 'Scotland's
Biodiversity: It's in Your Hands' (PDF, 2.6Mb), was launched in
May 2004 and sets out a 25 year strategy for the conservation and
enhancement of biodiversity in Scotland. Further information is
available
here.
Biodiversity actions in Scotland are informed by the Scottish
Executive's Scottish Biodiversity Strategy and Scottish
Biodiversity Committee, produced in partnership with the Scottish
Biodiversity Forum – a broad partnership of many different
organisations and bodies across Scotland. The secretariat is
provided by the Scottish Government, Landscapes and Habitats,
jointly with the
Biodiversity Implementation Team (BIT). The Scottish
Biodiversity Strategy is supported by five Strategy Implementation
Plans which set out detailed targets and actions. These can be
viewed in BARS.
Scotland's first Land
Use Strategy was published on 17 March 2011.
The Scottish Biodiversity Forum also produces a newsletter. The
latest version (issue 39 – October 2011) can be downloaded from
here).
The 'Northern Ireland
Biodiversity Strategy' (PDF, 1.6Mb) was published in August
2002. Further information is available
here.
The Biodiversity Unit in NIEA is responsible for implementing
biodiversity conservation policies within Northern Ireland,
supporting Local Biodiversity Officers, and working with
Biodiversity Delivery Groups. As with the other country
groups, Northern Ireland's biodiversity action plans are also
hosted and reported on BARS.
The most recent Welsh Biodiversity
Strategy, 'Environment
Strategy for Wales', (PDF, 1.3Mb) was published in 2006, and
explains how Wales will tackle the challenges it faces over the
next 20 years. Further information is available
here.
The Welsh Biodiversity Partnership – consisting of a steering
group and a wider partnership – provide the leadership for
biodiversity action priorities in Wales, with administration
support from the Countryside Council of Wales, Welsh Assembly
Government and the Wildlife Trust Wales. Each Local Authority
area in Wales has Local Biodiversity Action Plans (LBAPs) in
place, with the LBAPs supported and steered by the wider
partnership. These plans, and the reporting, can be found on
BARS.