HomeWelcome To Wirral
Partners
Wirral's Biodiversity Partnership in action
Wirral Council
Mersey Basin Campaign
NMGM
English Nature
Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group
DEFRA
Environment Agency
The National Trust
RSPB
The central aim of the partnership is:
To conserve and enhance biological diversity in Wirral and to contribute to the conservation of regional, national and global biodiversity.
The time scale for the plan is 20 years.
This task could never be achieved by a single organisation; it requires the co-operation of many types of organisation, businesses, land-owners and private individuals. Now that Wirral's Biodiversity Action Plan has been published, the partnership will need to be widened further to put it into action.
The key objectives of Wirral's Biodiversity Partnership
- To maintain, and where practicable to and enhance and the quality and range of wildlife habitats and ecosystems on Wirral.
- To maintain, and where practicable to enhance overall populations and natural ranges of native species on Wirral.
- To contribute to the conservation of internationally and nationally important and threatened species.
- To increase public awareness of and involvement in conserving biodiversity.
- To identify priorities for habitat and species conservation and set realistic targets and timescales for these.
The BAP process is not occurring in isolation and there are a number of independent but complimentary initiatives evolving in parallel.
These initiatives also influence nature conservation and include: development plans, shoreline and estuary development plans, the Environment Agency's LEAPs (Local Environment Agency Plans), English Nature's Species Recovery Programme, and agri-environment schemes such as DEFRA's Countryside Stewardship. BAP targets and actions will be largely achieved through these initiatives.
Links with other Biodiversity Initiatives
Wildlife does not respect political boundaries! The Wirral Biodiversity
Partnership seeks to exploit all links to the appropriate geographic level,
depending on the requirements of each species or habitat.
The Cheshire region Countdown Programme
Wirral has historically had strong links with Cheshire in terms of the natural environment and is included with the County of Cheshire in Vice County 58, used for biological recording purposes.
Wirral is an active supporter of the Cheshire region Biodiversity Partnership which is responsible for producing the Countdown Biodiversity Action Plan and co-ordinating biodiversity activity in the County. A number of Wirral's plans have been incorporated within Countdown, notably those for coastal habitats and species. It is intended that this plan will integrate as seamlessly as possible with the Countdown programme.
A priority for the future will be to ensure that opportunities for working together are maximised - for example in encouraging existing biodiversity action groups to extend their activities into Wirral where this is appropriate.
The North Merseyside Biodiversity Group
Wirral is also a member of the Merseyside Biodiversity Group, which has been responsible for producing the Biodiversity Action Plan for North Merseyside (the four Merseyside districts north of the Mersey). The Plan was issued on CD-Rom in September 2001. As with Cheshire, Wirral will look to maximise opportunities for working together, particularly in respect of the coast, where Wirral has much in common with Sefton. The Environmental Advisory Service (EAS) chair the Merseyside Biodiversity Group and represent the whole of Merseyside on the North West Biodiversity Forum.
Wirral is a partner in rECOrd - the Pilot Local Records Centre for Cheshire, Halton, Warrington and Wirral - which forms part of the National Biodiversity Network. Now based at Chester Zoo, rECOrd will become the main source of data for sites, habitats and species in the Cheshire region. It acts as a collection centre for biological records and other data, ensuring that biodiversity action planning preparation, implementation and monitoring processes are based on up-to-date information.
English Nature's Natural Area Profiles
English Nature has divided England into a series of Natural Areas. Their boundaries are based on the distribution of wildlife and natural features, land use patterns and human history of each area. They relate to variations in the character of the landscape and reflect our cultural heritage. This information is being used to determine priorities for nature conservation. Wirral falls into two Natural Areas: Liverpool Bay and Urban Mersey Basin.
Local Agenda 21
Biodiversity is a significant element of sustainable development and economic, social and environmental well-being.
It is important to recognise the links between biodiversity and local distinctiveness natural heritage lifelong learning, health and quality of life.
Local Biodiversity Action Plans are an integral part of the Agenda 21 process and Wirral's LA21 Strategy acknowledges this. Wirral's Biodiversity Partnership is linked into the LA21 process through the Natural Environment Topic Group. The LA21 process is a potentially important mechanism for raising awareness and engaging the wider community in the biodiversity process.
The Role of the Local Authority
The Local Authority in carrying out its functions can incorporate action that benefits biodiversity into most, if not all, areas of service delivery. At the same time it can ensure that adverse impacts that could arise from its activities are eliminated or reduced to a minimum. This will require the integration of biodiversity conservation objectives into all policy formulation, decision making and service delivery.