AN AMBITIOUS plan protect and enhance biodiversity in Basingstoke has been approved as part of the borough council's commitment to tackle the ecological emergency.
During a cabinet meeting held on Tuesday, March 5, members agreed Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council's new biodiversity strategy and action plan as part of plans to be a leading council in responding to both the climate and ecological emergencies.
The new strategy's aim is to help focus priorities around the council’s commitment to protect, restore, reconnect and enhance the natural environment.
Cabinet member for the climate and ecological emergency, Cllr Chris Tomblin, said: “This council declared an ecological emergency back in 2021 and, while there is much to celebrate in terms of the great work already taking place locally to protect and enhance biodiversity, it was essential we developed a plan to take this further. This is a priority for us as a cabinet.
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“Thanks to the hard work of our staff and our partners’ vital support and input, we now have a plan that guides us, sets out our priorities for our land and pushes us to deliver on our ambition to be a leading council in responding to both the climate and ecological emergencies.
“Delivering this strategy is an even greater challenge. But we are focused on helping to reverse the decline of biodiversity in Basingstoke and Deane and starting the long, hard climb towards recovery with the support of our partners and the knowledge and passion of our many conservation experts in the borough.
“This includes by continuing to support and work with our local conservation volunteers, whose efforts and hard work are both greatly appreciated and absolutely vital as we work together to nurture nature and tackle the ecological emergency.”
One of the first actions is to create a nature partnership to benefit from their passion and expertise and take forward joint projects.
Council-supported conservation groups via Natural Basingstoke, Greener Basingstoke, the Wildlife Trust, the Forestry Commission, the Environment Agency, Natural England and Hampshire Biodiversity Information Centre were among those the council brought together to support and shape the plan.
Other priority actions for the council include growing the diversity of native plants and wildlife on its land, supporting communities and developers to enhance existing habits and create new ones to boost biodiversity, delivering nature plans to protect the natural environment and helping people turn their gardens into wildlife havens.
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Aiming to help support people’s health and wellbeing, the council will also go further to engage communities with nature by exploring opportunities to make parks and green spaces more well connected and accessible to residents.
Linked to its work on this strategy, a council-commissioned borough-wide audit of biodiversity is currently under way to help the council and communities understand the state of nature in the borough and where and how they can make a difference.
It has also recently consulted on new draft policies to better protect the natural environment, including rivers, as part of the process to update its Local Plan that will guide planning and development decisions in the borough until 2040.
With the unanimous backing of its councillors, the council declared an ecological emergency for the borough in 2021 and a climate emergency in 2019.
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