UK BAP priority
species and habitats
UK BAP priority species and habitats were those that were
identified as being the most threatened and requiring conservation
action under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP). The
original lists of UK BAP priority species and habitats were created
between 1995 and 1999, and were subsequently updated in
2007, following a 2-year review of UK BAP processes and
priorities, which included a review of the UK priority
species and habitats lists. More information is available in
the Species and
Habitats Review Report (PDF, 1.3Mb).
The aim of the 'Species and Habitats Review' was to ensure that
the UK BAP lists of priority species and habitats remained
up-to-date and focussed on the correct priorities. This was
the first full review of the lists, generated over 10 years
previously, and provided an opportunity to take into account
emerging new priorities, conservation successes, and the huge
amount of new information that had been gathered since the original
lists were created. Selection of priority species and
habitats for the priority lists followed consideration by expert
working groups against a set of selection criteria, based on
international importance, rapid decline, high risk, and
habitats of importance for key species. Following the review,
the number of priority species increased from less than
600 to 1,150, and the number of priority habitats increased
from 49 to 65.
As a result of new drivers and requirements, the 'UK
Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework', published in July 2012,
has succeeded the UK BAP. In particular, due to devolution
and the creation of country-level biodiversity strategies, much of
the work previously carried out under the UK BAP is now focussed at
a country level. Additionally, international priorities have
changed: the framework particularly sets out the priorities for
UK-level work to support the Convention on Biological Diversity's
(CBD's) Strategic Plan for Biodiversity
2011-2020 and its five strategic goals and 20 'Aichi
Targets', agreed at the CBD meeting in Nagoya, Japan, in October
2010; and the
EU Biodiversity Strategy (EUBS), launched in May 2011.
The UK BAP lists of priority species and habitats remain,
however, important and valuable reference sources. Notably,
they have been used to help draw up statutory lists of priority
species and habitats in
England,
Scotland, Wales
and Northern Ireland (see
NI species and
NI habitats lists), as required under Section 41
of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act
2006 (England), Section
7 of the Environment Act (Wales), Section
2(4) of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004, and
Section
3(1) of the Wildlife and Natural Environment Act (Northern Ireland)
2011.
The following pages give further information about the
lists of UK BAP priority species and habitats.