Surrey Biodiversity Action Plan
What is Biodiversity?
Biodiversity is shortened from Biological Diversity. Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth. It is all the species on the planet from the smallest microbe to the largest tree, and how they interact with one another.
Background to Biodiversity Action Plans
1992 - Earth Summit at Rio de Janiero. The UK signs the Convention on Biological Diversity. The 150 signatories to the convention recognised that human activities are changing and destroying natural habitats, ecosystems and species, and that action must be taken to halt this loss. Each country committed themselves to draw up national strategies to stem and eventually reverse the decline of habitats and species.
1994 - UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) produced in response to the Convention on Biological Diversity. It describes the UK's biological resources and commits a detailed plan for the protection of these resources. The UK BAP currently has 391 Species Action Plans, 45 Habitat Action Plans and 162 Local Biodiversity Action Plans, of which the Surrey BAP is one.
1999 - The Surrey Biodiversity Action Plan is published by the Surrey Biodiversity Partnership. It contains 10 Habitat Action Plans and 1 Species Action Plan.
What does the Surrey BAP do?
- Ensures that national targets for species and habitats, as specified in the UK BAP are translated into effective action at the local level
- Identifies targets for species and habitats appropriate to the local area and reflecting the values of people locally
- Develop effective local partnerships to ensure that programmes for biodiversity conservation are maintained in the long term
- Raises awareness of the need for biodiversity conservation in the local context
- Ensures opportunities for conservation and enhancement of the whole biodiversity resource are fully considered and, if possible enacted
- Provide a basis for monitoring progress in biodiversity conservation, at both local and national level.
Monitoring, Reporting and Review
The Surrey BAP will require monitoring to ensure that the targets set are being achieved. Habitat and Species Action Plans have identified lead and partner organisations. The lead organisations have the responsibility of monitoring and reporting progress on individual plans through the Biodiversity Action Reporting System (BARS).
The progress of Action Plans are formally reviewed every 5 years. This is essential to ensure that changes in policies and priorities are taken account of to keep the BAP relevant.
Page information
http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/?a=196506
