City and County of Cardiff Dinas a Sir Caerdydd
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CITY AND COUNTY OF CARDIFF DINAS A SIR CAERDYDD COMMITTEE OF THE COUNCIL 15 November 2001 CABINET PROPOSAL AGENDA ITEM: Cardiff Local Biodiversity: Action Plan: “Wild About Cardiff” Background 1. Biodiversity Action Plans are the UK Government’s response to its obligations under the International Convention on Biodiversity, i.e. sustaining the variety of natural life. The essence of a Local Biodiversity Action Plan is that it should reflect the objectives and targets of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan whilst additionally taking into account the needs of local wildlife and the relationship of local people with this local wildlife resource. The Issues 2. Comments were sought on a consultative draft from interested organisations and groups, and via Capital Times / press articles from the wider public. The content of the Local Biodiversity Action Plan was generally welcomed. 3. Following further selective consultations a final version of the Plan has been prepared, which is appended to this report (Appendix 2). This contains amended “biodiversity indicators”, which link with the Council’s approved Sustainability Indicators and the proposed Community Strategy indicators / targets. It also contains an agreed priority list for the preparation of individual habitat and species action plans. Progress on the first tranche of these (Appendix 1) is being supported by the Countryside Council for Wales as part of the Cardiff Countryside Partnership Programme. 4. All action plans will be prepared in partnership with the Glamorgan Biodiversity Advisory Group and the Greater Gwent Biodiversity Action Group (on both of which the County Council is represented) utilising the Cardiff Biodiversity Action Forum to ensure full consultation with relevant Council Services and external agencies and organisations. 5. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 placed a new statutory responsibility on the National Assembly for Wales in carrying out its functions “to have regard … to the purpose of conserving biological diversity in Page 1 of 4 accordance with the Convention”. The Assembly also has a duty to promote such steps by others and it is intended that these new duties will underpin the existing local biodiversity planning process. 6. The UK Biodiversity Group has recently reported on the first 5 years of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan and identified five continuing challenges, including the need to ensure that local biodiversity action plans are developed and put into practice. The attached Local Biodiversity Action Plan will set the context for ongoing biodiversity planning in Cardiff, including the preparation and implementation of further tranches of action plans and will favourably position the County Council to respond to these new policy initiatives. Action planning will also feed into a revision of the Supplementary Planning Guidance on Nature Conservation and into the Unitary Development Plan process. Page 2 of 4 ADVICE This report has been prepared in consultation with Corporate Managers and reflects their collective advice. It contains all the information necessary to allow Members to arrive at a reasonable view, taking into account the advice contained in this section. The Corporate Manager dealing with this report is Emyr Evans Legal Implications There are no specific legal implications arising from this report. Financial Implications Completion of habitat and species action plans in the current financial year is being supported by grant aid from the Countryside Council for Wales. Future financial commitments will be tailored to suit contribution available. Consequences Approval of the Local Biodiversity Action Plan will favourably position the County Council to respond to new national policy initiatives on Biodiversity. BYRON DAVIES Chief Executive 24 September 2001 Background Papers: Reports to Deputy Mayor (Environment) 2 August 2000 and 27 June 2001 CABINET PROPOSALS That Cabinet recommends Council to agree the final draft of the Cardiff Local Biodiversity Action Plan. The following appendices are attached: Appendix 1: Habitat and Species Action Plans Appendix 2: Final draft of Cardiff Local Biodiversity Action Plan: “Wild about Cardiff” Page 3 of 4 APPENDIX 1 The first tranche of ten Habitat and Species Action Plans for 2001/2002 are: Habitat Action Plans: · Ponds # · Purple moor-grass and rush pasture · Woodland # · Gardens # Species Action Plans: · Monkshood · Waxcap Fungi ** · Great Crested Newt * · Bats ** · Water Vole * · Silver-washed Fritillary [Key: * national priority species, ** includes several national priority species, # linked to Cardiff Biodiversity Indicators]. The scope of these action plans will be reviewed as new information is assessed. Page 4 of 4 WILD ABOUT CARDIFF CARDIFF’S LOCAL BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN WILD ABOUT CARDIFF Cardiff’s Local Biodiversity Action Plan 2001 CARDIFF COUNTY COUNCIL Prepared with the expert help and advice of The Cardiff Biodiversity Action Forum - a working group of representatives from over fifty different conservation-minded organisations and with financial support from the Countryside Council for Wales. - 1 - WILD ABOUT CARDIFF CARDIFF’S LOCAL BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN CONTENTS PAGE The WILD ABOUT CARDIFF FACTFILE PageHOMEPAGE 5 · Welcome to Wild About Cardiff; · An introduction to biodiversity; · Some facts about biodiversity in Cardiff; · A brief history of Wild About Cardiff. FACTPAGES All you need to know about biodiversity, and how to find out more… FACTPAGE 1 - Did You Know? 8 · Be impressed by the sheer range of Cardiff’s wildlife; · Test how well you know your local wildlife areas; · Check how much potential wildlife habitat there is in Cardiff; · Look up how many different wildlife sites there are in Cardiff. FACTPAGE 2: Think Globally! 10 The wider picture from global to local · Why Cardiff is not alone; · Biodiversity in crisis – the causes; · From global decision to local action; · Local Biodiversity Action Plans – the wider context. FACTPAGE 3: The Benefits of Biodiversity 13 · Why do we bother with it? This FactPage lists some good reasons… FACTPAGE 4: Human Nature 16 · Nature on your doorstep: what does Cardiff’s wildlife mean to its people? · Results of the Biodiversity Ballot and the “Generations” questionnaire; · Hopes for a greener future. FACTPAGE 5: Biodiversity Action 19 · “Biodiversity Needs You!” - Some examples of what’s being done to give Cardiff’s biodiversity a helping hand. - 2 - WILD ABOUT CARDIFF CARDIFF’S LOCAL BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN FACTPAGE 6: Wild About Schools! 23 · Where does biodiversity fit into the new Welsh National Curriculum? · Young People’s responses to the Biodiversity Ballot and the “Generations of Wildlife” survey; · Examples of wildlife-friendly school grounds projects. FACTPAGE 7: Friendly Farming 27 · Priority Habitats and Species that depend on farming; · How important is farming for biodiversity – and vice versa? · Why Wild About Cardiff is relevant to farmers. FACTPAGE 8: Developing a Partnership 31 · How biodiversity fits into the process of development; · Planning Guidance for nature conservation in Wales; · Enhancing development with biodiversity; · Top tips for good practice. FACTPAGE 9: Biodiversity Indicators 35 · “Are we doing OK?” - An introduction to Sustainability Indicators and how they can be used to measure the progress of biodiversity action; · Cardiff’s Biodiversity Indicators; · How the Biodiversity Indicators came about; · The next step. FACTPAGE 10: Staying on the Right Track 39 · Guiding principles for making the most of our naturally diverse environment. ACTION PLANS 41 · An introduction to Habitat and Species Action Plans; · Which species and habitats need Action Plans? · Wild about Cardiff Action Plans · Other related Action Plans; · Putting it into practice. HELP PAGES 54 · Contacts · References - 3 - WILD ABOUT CARDIFF CARDIFF’S LOCAL BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN The WILD ABOUT CARDIFF ACTION PACK The Action Pack will be the technical supplement to Wild About Cardiff. It will be added to this document and subject to frequent updates. In it you will find: · Habitat Action Plans · Species Action Plans · Species Statements · Biodiversity Indicators Guidance Notes and Presentation Examples · Examples of do-it-yourself biodiversity projects - 4 - WILD ABOUT CARDIFF CARDIFF’S LOCAL BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN HOMEPAGE Wild About Cardiff, welcome to your Local Biodiversity Action Plan “Biodiversity”? It sounds like yet more scientific jargon, but biodiversity is simply short for “biological diversity” - in other words, the natural variety of life. Everyone needs biodiversity - it’s what gives the world beauty and variety, not just in the countryside but also in our parks, gardens or even within the supportive branches of a single, much-loved tree. But why should we be wild about Cardiff? Isn’t it just a built-up area with no wildlife? No! In fact, Cardiff has an incredible variety of wild plants, animals and habitats. There are hundreds of different plants, birds and insects, which make Cardiff their home. These include seventeen species of Orchids and at least twenty-five species of Butterflies! What’s more, Cardiff has around twenty main types of habitat, ten of which feature in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan as important Priority Habitats. This variety of wildlife is what makes Cardiff’s local biodiversity so special. “Wild About Cardiff”, your Local Biodiversity Action Plan, aims to keep it this way. What is a Biodiversity Action Plan? Biodiversity Action Plans are a way of pinpointing the most important