Brighton and Hove Local BAP: a Checklist

1. Introduction and background

2. Philosophical reasons for caring about nature - not always 'shopping' and consuming

3. General BAP recommendations

4. Documents

5. Habitat objectives

6. Species objectives

1.Introduction

2010 ‘International Year of Biodiversity' may nearly be over but despite Falmer Stadium, lack of Downland grazing and a ‘slash and burn' approach by the council near Wild Park our biodiversity will still survive into 2011. It is a fact that Brighton & Hove still does not have a plan for conserving and enhancing its biodiversity resource. Indeed, there is not even a project proposed within the council to address this glaring gap.

For a whole series of reasons it has taken over a decade for Brighton & Hove City Council to even start drafting a Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) following ‘ Biodiversity: the UK Action Plan ' (published in 1994). This was discussed in 2001 at the ‘Wildlife Advisory Group' (WAG) established by the council. A report with recommendations on the essential components for producing a LBAP, detailed habitat and species lists were published (Ref: Local Biodiversity Action Plan for Brighton & Hove, May 2003, WAG). This was not progressed and the WAG folded, after receiving no further support from the council from 2009 onward.

Confusing stuff!
   Despite attempts to progress biodiversity using the existing guidelines the council has been reluctant to follow these; indeed, a council document discussed on 13 July 2010 stated ‘ The national BAP process has been complicated and rather confusing, '.

There was a suggestion to keep the habitat and species lists as short as possible. This is totally opposite to the concept of diversity! Brighton and Hove's Local Biodiversity is a source of inspiration and joy, to be cherished and nurtured, not kept 'as short as possible'.

Consultation stuffed!
   There is a ‘consultation' on a draft LBAP planned for 2011. Below is a table of the main documents, policies, habitats and species which a LBAP should address for Brighton & Hove. This can be used as a CHECKLIST to help compile an intelligent response to the apparently ‘rather confusing' consultation draft.

[please note: the check-box does not link to other servers, but is just a simple way for tracking items]

Incidentally, the previous consultation over the Nature Conservation SPD was not used as an opportunity to open discussions with local stakeholders. Instead a ‘Statement of Representations' (August 2009) was presented at an Environment Cabinet Members meeting with the simple ‘No Change' recommended and seemingly ‘rubber-stamped'. An objection to the recommended species planting list was ignored (= ‘No Change') and many plants originating from Asia, United States and central Europe totally unsuited to the Sussex native biodiversity were formally recommended. This includes Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia , which is a ‘Schedule 9' species that is both unlawful to plant outside the most urbanized areas and a highly invasive creeper unsuitable for new developments.

What community?
   So, please use the checklist below to see if the important biodiversity issues have been addressed. However, it will take a lot more to ensure biodiversity is being progressed with full involvement from local residents, groups and businesses.

Local community involvement should be at the core of drafting, producing and implementing a Local Biodiversity Plan. A ‘Community Engagement Framework' (2009) has been produced by the LSP which could help guide the council in engaging with the community. Unfortunately, all the evidence so far indicates the LBAP will be just another document published, box ticked and then left to languish.

How about an Urban Biosphere?
   Biosphere reserves are designated by UNESCO and the council has expended many resources seeking to obtain the ‘Biosphere Reserve' label for Brighton and Hove. A two day conference was devoted to this in 2008. However this will be hard to justify if there is not even a functioning Local BAP network and action plan in place.

At a recent conference on the biosphere reserve application the intention to shortly consult on the LBAP was not mentioned (10 November 2010 ). Also the formal Biodiversity Duty was not covered in any of the talks.

If the Urban Biosphere Reserve accolade is to have a genuine purpose there needs to be clear objectives, targets and action under a Local Biodiversity Action Plan. So far this connection has not been made.

2.Beyond the merely prosaic : Nature is intrinsically valuable

Apart from looking after Local Biodiversity because of the formal Duty there is another reason for caring about nature; its sheer beauty and excitement. Most children know this.

We can reconnect with the pleasure and joy that nature has. But beyond the anthropocentric ‘human-centred me…me…me…' need to possess and consume there is also an intrinsic value within nature.

Whilst the LBAP is the core mechanism which can inspire us all in enhancing our local biodiversity, it must not become just another grey dull council document.

It can start INSPIRATIONALLY!

“Through wise stewardship of the natural world we both improve our environment and nurture ourselves too. By caring about nature we can enhance our own health and freedom; and through this we can access the world in which the human spirit was first born”

We can be bold in providing advice and clearly show that the council has responsibilities to manage its biodiversity, and our natural inheritence, wisely.

This responsibility is stated in both ‘Biodiversity and your duty of care: A guide for Local Authority Elected Members' [South East England Biodiversity Forum, 2009] and ‘Conserving Biodiversity – The UK Approach' which explicitly mentions the intrinsic ethical and philosophical value within nature:

3. General Biodiversity Planning recommendations

There is still no overall project plan for local biodiversity. If a professional project plan is ever drawn up it should include:

• Aim
• Objectives
• Milestones
• Outcomes (a published LBAP being most obvious)
• Costed timetable

This is such basic preparation to managing any project. But it has been almost surreal to experience the difficulties in raising the need for clear project management with the council.

Obviously community involvement will be critically important for planning, action and reporting, so ensure:

• Sufficient web-based resources are provided for all residents, businesses and groups to clearly share and contribute to the LBAP objectives.
• Sufficient web-based resources are provided for all residents, businesses and groups to clearly monitor progress on LBAP objectives.

4. Documents

Whilst the Council has published virtually nothing on Local Biodiversity there are many published resources available elsewhere. Biodiversity Action Plans operate with a framework which contributes to the international objectives and actions through to local ones. Information, objectives and action 'cascades' across these levels. Monitoring the action progress flows into the reporting at UKBAP level, and ultimately allows us to see the global changes from sustainable development.

Does the draft LBAP refer to the following essential resources setting out national, regional and Sussex biodiversity objectives?

Does it mention the International Dimension?

Does it mention National Guidance?

Does it refer to the England Biodiversity Strategy?

Does it refer to other Sectors which contribute to Biodiversity?

Does it clearly include Urban aspects which contribute to Biodiversity?

Does it mention other General Guidance for Local Authorities?

Does it mention the Council's earlier Sustainability objective?

Does it refer to the other Sussex BAPs?

5. Habitat objectives

Ensure Habitat Objectives include relevant habitats across the whole jurisdiction, not just the easy areas such as ‘School Grounds'. Recently the ' Brighton and Hove Habitat Audit 2007- 2009' identified:

Are the following ‘Habitats' included?
Particularly 'Urban areas' as this is THE key area which must not be omitted from the LBAP. About 25% of land is currently within the 'urban area boundary', this will increase once building on the countryside (now termed 'urban fringe') starts.

There is tremendous connectivity between private gardens and opportunities to achieve biodiversity objectives, encourage local awareness of wildlife and to engage residents in raising the status of Brighton's biodiversity. Local awareness and understanding is one of the key objectives of the UKBAP.

Regarding Gardens: from 'No Nettles Required: The truth about wildlife gardening'

Ken Thompson, 2006. Eden Project Books , ISBN: 978 1 905 081114 4

This is an interesting non-technical book, Dr Thompson writes:

"….gardens tend to be forgotten. ...since gardens are outside any form of statutory control and it's impossible to know what lives in them. Gardens are a vast resource, but if you don't know what's in them, and you couldn't do anything about it even if you did, you're likely to pretend they don't exist, and that's what the official attitude has been.

Gardens are good wildlife habitat in themselves, and they join up to form a giant, interlinked network that clearly doesn't need much help from railways or canals. This emphasis on corridors not only distracts attention from the gardens that surround them but also makes wildlife gardeners who don't have a corridor at the bottom of the garden feel as if they are wasting their time.

To sum up, up to a third of the entire UK invertebrate fauna occurred in [...an urban Sheffield] garden. Although it's clear that gardens are already extremely rich in wildlife, and that they can provide a home for perhaps half of Britain's native invertebrates, we also know that much of the potential of gardens as wildlife habitats remains untapped.

p.170   Reconnecting with nature

Half the world's population lives in towns and cities. In Britain the proportion is more like 90%. For most of us food comes shrink-wrapped from the supermarket and the closest we get to wildlife is a David Attenborough documentary. We are all born with an innate affection for living things ['biophilia'], an instinctive biophilia, which can be either stifled or nurtured by our early experiences.

...many children now grow up without forging any close personal bond with their local flora and fauna.

What can be done to reconnect people with the natural world? In fact anyone with a garden has their own nature reserve, literally on the doorstep. You can develop a close personal relationship with your wildlife and observe its changing with the seasons."

6. Species objectives

It is usually stated that species conservation depends upon successful habitat conservation. However a closely grazed downland turf which suits adonis blue butterflies presents a desert to crickets and grasshoppers, including the wartbiter.

Last century there were many species sharing the land across Brighton and Hove with us (refer to the species listed in Local Biodiversity Action Plan for Brighton & Hove, May 2003). Many of these are now locally extinct, or perilously close to extinction. Locally, important biodiversity species hanging on include:

John Patmore   eco21st
Preston Park
December 2010

Update: 4 April 2011