Biodiversity is the variety of life all around us, from garden insects to ancient trees, found everywhere from window boxes to wild landscapes. It underpins our daily lives, providing clean air and water, fertile soil, food, climate regulation, and contributing to our economy, health, wellbeing and quality of life.
Local Authorities have a statutory duty to maintain and increase species populations and improve our priority habitats. If biodiversity conservation is to be successfully implemented, it requires that actions be undertaken in an integrated manner. This is where a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) plays a role, and why Stevenage has had one in place since 2010. It was developed to create a more locally focused strategy than the existing UK national and Hertfordshire action plans.
Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust has played an integral role in producing the current and previous BAPs, with expert recommendations for specific sites and habitats throughout Stevenage. The BAP supports Stevenage’s Local Plan and its Green Space, Tree and Woodland strategies, with much of the practical delivery carried out by Stevenage’s Green Space Volunteers to ensure nature is accessible to everyone across the town.