2024 Biodiversity & Planning Conference

The 2024 Biodiversity & Planning Conference, organised by Surrey Nature Partnerships was held at Dorking Halls on March 12th. Aimed primarily at planning and ecology professionals, developers and landowners, it focused on such topics as Surrey’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)/ onsite and offsite, Biodiversity Units and Credits and BNG & Habitat Banking.

Inspite of the huge efforts of environmental non-government organisations (ENGOs), nature-based charities and communities, there was recognition that, nature has taken a battering in recent decades, there was considerable optimism that at legislative, planning and development, and community action levels – things are now  together, and support for nature will improve.

Underpinning all the new developments is the ethical principle of biodiversity duty: while Government has placed this duty on public authorities there is a sense that it is a responsibility that relates to all of us and therefore unites public authorities, ENGO’s, nature-based charities and communities in their efforts to help nature.

The Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) is the key strategic framework within which biodiversity priorities will be recognised. This clearly has important implications for the biodiversity park proposal. The construction of the map is controlled by well defined ecological/habitat criteria – National Designations (SAC, SPA,SSSI, NNR), Local Nature Reserves, Local Wildlife Sites (SNCI’s in Surrey) and Irreplaceable Habitats like ancient woodland, andcient and veteran trees, blanket bog, limestone pavements, coastal san dunes, spartina saltmarsh swards, meditareanean saltmarsh scrub, lowland fens. But new sites can included outside these priority areas.

27 If the responsible authority believes that additional areas require protection due to their particular importance, they should discuss making those areas local wildlife sites with the local planning authority (if this is not the responsible authority).

This perhaps defines the opportunity we have in creating a Biodiversity Park that would be recognised in a Surrey LNRS, assuming that an important dimension of importance might be communities and public authorities working together to help nature enhance biodiversity.

WATCH THE CONFERENCE ON YOUTUBE 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyixbCsrzh4