Introduction
Download a PDF Version of the Biodiversity Action Plan (PDF) [428KB].
In 2022, South Ribble Borough Council adopted a biodiversity strategy, pledging to restore, conserve and enhance the biodiversity in the borough.
This action plan sets out the actions that will be taken over the next 5 years:
- strategy vision - For a borough where biodiversity is bigger, better and more joined up. With networks of accessible, natural greenspace, linking areas of habitat that are positively managed for wildlife, biodiversity gains, as well as resident enjoyment and wellbeing
- strategy aims - to ensure that South Ribble Borough Councils responsibilities to restore, conserve and enhance biodiversity is integrated into the work of all departments and there is a clear understanding of biodiversity and how it relates to decision making. That residents and businesses benefit from maintaining and improving a healthy green environment.
Strategy Objectives:
- to act as a responsible landowner and land manager and conserve and enhance biodiversity
- to highlight priority habitats and species that have value locally and nationally
- to highlight threats and issues that may adversely impact priority habitats and species
- to maintain, restore and create habitat connectivity
- to share good practice and develop partnerships
- to encourage education and community action / involvement
- to instigate a cross department ethos that will inform decisions
- to ensure development does not negatively impact on existing biodiversity across the borough and where possible actively improves it.
This action plan details those actions required to be taken across the borough but also the actions that it intends to take as an organisation and local employer.
The council has 3 spheres of influence within the borough:
- Exemplar - To set our own high standards and be a model of good practice for the borough
- Enabler - To play our part in partnership working, sharing responsibility, facilitating, coordinating, and promoting projects
- Encourager - To provide information, support and introductions that will make a positive contribution to our response to the biodiversity and climate emergency.
In implementing our actions, we are seeking to act as a community leader, setting high standards and working collaboratively to show the changes and improvements that can be achieved, so that we are able to help others across the borough do the same.
Due to the seasonal nature of some of the work required in this action plan, even short-term targets may take two years to complete and longer than that for habitats to become established and develop to their full potential. The impacts of weather and associated ground conditions may further hamper progress, but this is outside of the control of those delivering on actions.
Some of the actions will require a cultural and behavioural change inside South Ribble to alter long established practices. It may also require residents to change their perspective on amended maintenance regimes where parks and open spaces no longer look as neat and tidy as they once did. Engagement and education are key to this being delivered successfully.
There will be an annual updated on progress taken to Council each summer alongside the Climate and Air Quality reports. It is noted that this action plan is very comprehensive and that it cannot all be achieved and reported on every year. For this reason, 10 key actions will be identified for each year and these will form the basis of the annual report on progress. The full action plan will be reviewed every four years.
This action plan links and crosses over with the existing Climate Emergency Action Plan (PDF) [654KB] and Air Quality Action Plan (PDF) [1MB]. In time they will all be incorporated in to one single action plan.