The Biodiversity Convention

In June 1992, the Earth Summit was held in Rio de Janeiro.  Over 150 countries including the United Kingdom signed the Convention on Biological Diversity.  The main aim of the Convention is essentially a commitment to conserving and sustaining global biodiversity.

The UK Biodiversity Action Plan

As part of its response to the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the government established Biodiversity Steering Group in 1994.  Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report was published in 1995 and sets out national biodiversity objectives.

This report recommends that the best way forward is the production of local Biodiversity Action Plans (local BAPs).  It also provides guidance for the development of local BAPs, which has been followed closely in the preparation of the Staffordshire Biodiversity Action Plan.  Since this initial report, a further six volumes of 'Tranche 2' have now been published, these now detail over 400 species action plans and 40 habitat action plans.

Local Biodiversity Action Plans in the UK

There are now around 150 Local Biodiversity Action Plans across the country, mostly at a county level but also including some Company BAPs.  These Local Biodiversity Action Plans (LBAPs) identify priority habitats and species, setting targets for their conservation and outlining the mechanisms for achieving these targets.

The emphasis is very much on a planned, partnership approach, but clearly some organisations and individuals will be able to contribute more than others.  It is also essential that there is a feeling of ownership amongst local people and organisations or the Plan will fail.

Why do we need a Biodiversity Action Plan for Staffordshire?

There is overwhelming evidence that Staffordshire, in common with the rest of the UK, has suffered huge losses of habitats and species, mainly due to post-war agricultural change.  One of the main aims of the Staffordshire Biodiversity Action Plan (SBAP) is to assess how the limited resources available can best be used to protect and enhance what remains as well as recreating lost habitats.

• It assesses the biodiversity resource of Staffordshire, and highlights gaps in our knowledge.
• It identifies which national targets are relevant to Staffordshire and translates them to a local level.
• It identifies local priorities for nature conservation in Staffordshire, allowing resources to be targeted.
• It ensures that priorities in Staffordshire are consistent with those in neighbouring counties.
• It promotes the partnership approach, allowing resources and effort to be combined for maximum effect.

SBAP Review

The current plan is the 2nd edition SBAP and was produced in 2001.  Reviewing the current edition is necessary, following the completion of the UK BAP review in 2007, in order to produce SMART targets and actions that can be realistically reported against.  Work towards the Third Edition will be ongoing throughout 2007/8.

The Third Edition will be an online document and so will be the final time the SBAP needs to undergo a full revision.  With online action plans, the intention is that individual HAPs and SAPs can be expanded and contracted or archived as priorities change.  This will ensure that the Third Edition remains an up to date, developing, working document over the coming years.

It is the intention that the Third Edition will be produced as a partnership document, with input and decision making the remit of a wide range of partners.  To achieve this it may be necessary to form temporary task/focus groups of committed individuals for the Third Edition to be a success, however this approach may encourage greater engagement with the final plans.