Cotswold District Council

Annex A: Cotswold District Council Ecological Emergency Action Plan – leading the way towards nature recoverya) Declare an ‘Ecological Emergency’b) Put ecological issues at the heart of the Council’s actions for the climate emergency and ensure that opportunities to gain mutual benefits for both the climate and the ecological emergencies are maximised.c) Ensure that ecological emergency and nature recovery considerations are embedded in all work areas and decision-making processes, including COVID-19 recovery initiatives.d) Take a leadership role on the ecological emergency and nature recovery in the Cotswolds, working with, influencing and inspiring partners across the District, County and region to help deliver nature recovery.e) Review the adopted Local Plan to ensure that the ecological emergency and nature recovery (including green infrastructure, ecosystems services and natural capital) are strategic priorities for planning and new development, through site allocations, policies and an up-dated Cotswold Design Guidef) Continue to support the development and implementation of the Gloucestershire Nature Recovery Network (including Bee lines) and the Gloucestershire Ecosystem Services and Natural Capital Mapping (and the Natural Capital Investment Strategy), including through the Local Plan, biodiversity net gain and developer contributions.g) Play a pro-active role in developing an ecological recovery strategy for the Countyh) Promote tree/woodland planting and re-wilding in the right places and with the right species to maximise wildlife value, carbon sequestration and other benefits, in line with the Gloucestershire Local Nature Partnership tree and woodland creation strategy.i) Work with farmers and other rural land managers to support the move towards lower carbon emission farming and other actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change while at the same time increasing natural capital and providing additional ecosystems services benefits.j) Ensure that Council-owned land and buildings are managed in a biodiversity-friendly manner and that opportunities are taken to create new wildlife habitat.k) Progress the Cotswold Water Park Biodiversity Strategy to maximise biodiversity and other opportunities in this areal) Support and collaborate with our partnership organisations, including the partner organisations within the Gloucestershire Local Nature Partnership, such as the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, the Cotswolds Conservation Board, the Woodland Trust, the Cotswold Water Park Trust, the National Trust, Natural England, the Environment Agency and the Gloucestershire Centre for Environmental Records.m) Provide advice for local communities on how to incorporate biodiversity, green infrastructure and natural capital (ecosystems services) into their neighbourhood plans and other initiativesn) Progress the ongoing green infrastructure (GI) agenda including through completing the draft District GI strategy; ensuring the inclusion of high quality well-managed GI in new developments, the review of the Local Plan, advice on neighbourhood plans; input into the county GI strategy; continuing support for and collaboration with the national GI benchmark, Building with Nature (which was created in Gloucestershire with support from the Council).o) Promote the creation of new natural green spaces and green links across the District.p) Liaise with other partners to establish an ambitious biodiversity net gain system for Gloucestershire.q) Review how our natural environment can increasingly become a key part of the tourism offer of the Cotswolds.r) Consider the implications for the Council of the forthcoming Environment Billhttps://meetings.cotswold.gov.uk/Data/Council/202007151800/Agenda/Agenda%20Item%2007%20-%20Annex%20A.pdf

— Full Council (Source)