Biodiversity is a word you may have come across in recent years. It simply means the variety of life on the planet, from the butterflies and birds that visit your garden to the great whales that circumnavigate the globe. Any loss to this variety of life on earth cannot be reversed and ultimately makes the world a poorer place.
Remember the Rio Earth Summit in 1992? It was there that over 150 heads of state signed an international protocol to safeguard the variety of life on earth - its biodiversity. We all have a responsibility to ensure the survival of life on earth as wildlife respects no national boundaries.
The British Government has developed the UK Biodiversity Action Plan in response to its commitments to look after the variety of life on earth. Over 400 species and over 150 habitats now have clearly identified action plans which should ensure their survival. But the responsibility of ensuring the survival of habitats and species is not just down to central Government. It is the responsibility of us all. It is recognised that while a national strategy can achieve some measure of success, the variety of our natural heritage will ultimately be won or lost at the local level. And this means that we all have a role to play in identifying and protecting biodiversity locally.
One of the ways which local biodiversity has been identified in East and West Sussex is by bringing a number of organisations and individuals together to form a biodiversity partnership for Sussex. This partnership was formed in 1996 and has the task of coordinating and writing action plans for habitats and species in East and West Sussex. The partners themselves range from local authorities to statutory and voluntary organisations such as English Nature, Sussex Wildlife Trust, RSPB and Environment Agency.
The partnership has been busy over the years and is contributing to the UK Biodiversity Action Plan through the production of a host of species and habitat action plans relevant to our local area. Overseeing all this biodiversity work for the Partnership is the Sussex Biodiversity Officer.
Hastings Borough Council was keen to assist the Sussex Biodiversity Partnership as much as it could. It provides the Sussex Biodiversity Officer with accommodation and administrative support as part of the Council’s contribution to the partnership, thus confirming its commitment to conserving our wildlife and habitats for future generations to enjoy.
The wealth of wildlife and range of habitats we are lucky enough to have in Hastings & St Leonards are recognised in the deposit draft of the new Local Plan. The plan recognises the importance of biodiversity. It sets targets to review the biodiversity of the Borough and prioritise action to ensure the survival of the variety of wildlife that may, in some cases, be unique to the Borough of Hastings, but in all cases is part of the great diversity of life on earth.
We all have a role to play in conserving local habitats and species and if you would like to find out more, please contact Borough Ecologist Tel: 781107 or the Sussex Biodiversity Officer on 781122.
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This page last updated: 12/07/2001