Warwick District Council

This Council therefore resolved to declare an Ecological Emergency and develop a new Biodiversity Action Plan to complement the Climate Action Plan and position the Council as the leading organisation to enhance biodiversity in the District. Following discussions with the Climate Change Programme Advisory Board, a report Item 3 / Page 3 setting out the process, resources, and funding to develop a detailed Biodiversity Action Plan would be brought to Cabinet in February 2023. The Biodiversity Action Plan would deliver these aims: 1. To improve biodiversity in the green spaces managed by WDC and its contractors, taking full account of public safety and amenity requirements, including events; 2. To set out options for further reducing the amount of Glyphosate and other toxic chemicals that were used by WDC and its contractors, including at least one option to completely eliminate their use; 3. To ensure that the provisions of the Environment Act 2021 for Biodiversity Net Gain were fully implemented in all developments in the District and that Biodiversity Net Gain be maximised in all developments that WDC had a financial interest in; 4. To ensure that biodiversity ran through the new South Warwickshire Local Plan, for example, by creating green corridors; 5. Linking in with the Warwickshire Local Biodiversity Action Plan and emerging Nature Recovery Strategy, to work in partnership with other agencies including the County Council, the Environment Agency, Severn Trent and other relevant bodies to improve the biodiversity of areas supported by the natural water systems in the District including the development of natural flood management and drought resistant water courses and bodies of water; 6. To seek opportunities to invest the Carbon Offset Fund in projects that both sequester carbon and increase biodiversity; 7. To develop a public awareness and education plan for biodiversity in collaboration with WWT, charities and community groups, focussing on what individuals and groups could do in their own local areas.

— Council (Source)